Facing Evil Read online

  “Do you know who Billy Ward is?” Abby finally asked.

  There it was. A simple question. This was what she had been sent to write a story on. The question hung heavily in the air, awaiting her answer. Sarah wanted time to stop — she needed time to stop — so she could make a decision. She needed to weigh her integrity, decide on the boundaries of her morality, and figure out which principles would be employed to determine the choice she was going to make. Looking back at Abby, she realized she was about to find out who she really was.

  When no answer came, Abby looked back over her shoulder. The flickering flames reflected off Sarah’s flawless, innocent face as she stared down at the hardwood floor. It wasn’t just the beauty Abby was admiring in her features, but the pensive look that had taken over her face. “Do you?” Sarah looked up into Abby’s inquiring eyes. “Do you know who Billy Ward is?”

  “I’ve heard of him, yes.”

  “Billy Ward is...” She looked out the window, "Billy Ward was..." there was a long pause before she continued. “It was my job to stop him.” She reached for her glass on the table, and looked hard and long at the golden liquid before she tossed back a large mouthful. “I should’ve stopped him, but I didn’t. At each crime scene I went to, the victims he’d raped and mutilated...I’d hear them calling my name. I had to stop him, but I couldn’t.”

  “But wasn’t he released for lack of evidence?”

  Abby’s glass paused in mid-air as she stared at Sarah. “Are you kidding me?”

  “Innocent until proven guilty, isn’t that how the law is supposed to work?” she pushed.

  “Innocent until proven... He tortured and murdered young girls. He is not innocent and the only reason he’s free is because of a piece of paper. A piece of fucking paper!”

  Sarah unconsciously leaned back in her chair as she watched the tendons in Abby’s neck stand out.

  “It was a fucking technicality. He did it, believe me. Billy did things to those girls that made the medical examiner want to puke, and because of human error, he was released to...” Abby couldn’t finish her statement, but she did finish the remaining alcohol in her glass. Silently she stood, shaking with anger and frustration. She had no words to explain how she truly felt. Realizing that she was losing control again, Abby took a deep steadying breath before she walked over to pour herself another drink.

  “I don’t think that’s helping any.”

  Abby looked up as she finished pouring. “It sure as hell isn’t hurtin’ any.” She didn’t mean to sound so harsh, but the alcohol had loosened her tongue and buried her civility.

  Feeling more than just a little uncomfortable, Sarah looked down at her hands. Rubbing the inside of her palm, she thought about a lot of things, though said nothing.

  “I’m sorry, Sarah. I didn’t mean to fly off like that, but I...well there’s no excuse.” Abby screwed the lid back on the bottle. “Those girls went through Hell, and I do mean Hell, before they finally found peace in death. No one deserves that. Death shouldn’t be a welcome relief.” The anger inside her seemed to dissipate as she spoke in a low tone of deep thought.

  Sarah looked up as Abby took a seat on the sofa across from the fire. Swirling her drink around in her glass, Abby watched the flames dancing in the fireplace.

  “We’re born innocent, you know. Our souls are empty vessels without love or hatred. We’re like sponges — learning and absorbing all of the things around us.” Abby was silent for a moment, and then continued. “But I think some people are born evil. Their minds are so diseased and sick, that even their most basic thoughts and dreams revolve around the pain of others. Their desires are atrocities most people cannot even begin to fathom.” She stopped to take another drink. “Billy is like that. He has no conscience or guilt about what he’s doing or what he’s done. To him...to him it’s a game, a pitiful desperate bid for attention. Those young innocent girls are just pawns on a very warped chessboard, something to amuse him. Their pain and anguish give him,” Abby searched for the right word, “power...it gave him power and pleasure.” Leaning forward, she put her elbows on her knees and buried her face in her hands.

  Sarah looked at the thin red lines left by the anger Billy had brought out in Abby, scars that would forever mar the long fingers and powerful hands. The reporter in Sarah was gone. All that remained was a woman starting to see the pain hidden behind numerous scars — both physical and emotional, a tortured anguish buried deep in the woman she was falling in love with.

  “We thought we finally had him.” Abby swiped at the tears she couldn’t stop. “I thought we’d finally put a stop to his... We had found everything — his knives scattered amidst the bloodstained bricks of his basement where he had tortured them. The shackles he’d used to bolt them to the walls.” Abby stopped for a moment as she stared into her mind at what she could not forget. She knew she was saying too much, but she couldn’t help herself. “Facing evil is what I do, but this...this was different. They couldn’t scream, you know. Using the juice from a plant, he made this paste that numbed their vocal cords. That way he didn’t have to worry about anyone hearing them. Not that anyone could’ve. That basement was like a tomb, cold and damp. It was a horrible place to die.” Abby closed her eyes, though it didn’t erase the images. “I had him...I thought it was finally over, but — but it’ll never be over.”

  The words and visions finally broke her down, and the unshakable Abby Stanfield fell apart. The emotions she had buried for so long burst to the surface in a tormented sob that she tried to cover up with her uninjured hand.

  It was more than Sarah could take, and she jumped from her chair to be at Abby’s side. “Hey,” Sarah murmured, putting a protective arm around Abby.

  “I should’ve stopped him, but I didn’t and now...”

  Sarah felt Abby’s powerful body shake with emotion. “Come on, Abby, you can’t be blaming yourself.”

  “But I should’ve, and I didn’t. And now, he’s done it again.”

  The anguished cry announcing another death tore at Sarah’s heart as she listened in disbelief.

  “Billy Ward killed another girl.”

  “Oh, my God!” Sarah held on tightly, trying to soothe away Abby’s pain. “It was him?” the redhead asked fearfully.

  “We know it was him. The MO was the same, only this time he has the perfect alibi — Billy’s been under twenty-four-hour police surveillance. No one saw him leave.”

  There was a question Sarah didn’t want to ask, but she forced it out. “Then how could it be him? I mean... Abby, maybe you do have the wrong guy.”

  The warm glow of the alcohol and the fire had dulled Abby’s senses enough that she barely reacted to the comment. “Because he told me he did it.” She reached into her pocket and pulled out the small piece of paper and gave it to Sarah. She unfolded it and read the words slowly.

  “It’s a game to him. It’s nothing to do with human life or suffering, only whether he’s having fun. He has to win — at all costs.” Abby snuggled further into the comforting arm around her.

  Not wanting to release her hold on Abby, Sarah refolded the paper with one hand and placed it on the table. Closing her eyes, she gently pulled her in closer. “Shhh,” she whispered into her dark hair.

  “Thank you, Sarah,” Abby mumbled quietly as she felt herself drifting off into a world of soft comfort.

  “For what?” she answered just as quietly, not wanting to disturb Abby’s slide toward sleep.

  “For being you...and for being here.”

  “I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.” She kissed the top of Abby’s head. Silently, she prayed that Abby would never find out why she had come to the resort.

  ♥

  The fire had burned down to embers when Sarah felt the first spasm of Abby’s body. She opened her eyes as the heavy weight against her twitched and jerked and Abby mumbled under her breath. Then Abby’s entire body shuddered violently, taking Sarah by surprise. Placing her hand on Abby’s shoulder,
Sarah felt her tense muscles. “Abby...Abby...wake up,” but Abby continued to mumble incoherent words. Sarah grew concerned as she tried again to awaken Abby from her bad dream.

  “Come on, Abby, wake up,” she orderly sternly while pushing the dead weight off of her small frame.

  “I don’t think so,” Abby snarled, her eyes still closed as she struck out at the demons in her mind.

  “Abby!” Sarah called out to the woman shoving her back against the arm of the sofa. Her arms were like hardened steel, unbending while they held Sarah in place. She tried to slap away Abby’s fingers as they reached for her throat. Fear and panic overwhelmed her and she clawed at the vise-like grip around her neck. Finally, she got two fingers in between Abby’s thumb and fingers, and it was enough for her to suck in some desperately needed air.

  “ABBY!”

  This time the panic in Sarah's voice broke through the horrors of Abby’s nightmare and her dark eyes opened.

  “Oh, my God, Sarah!” Abby released her grip and the young redhead immediately began to cough. “Sarah...Sarah, are you okay?” Abby pleaded, kneeling in front of her.

  Sarah could only nod as she felt the rush of air burn into her lungs.

  Abby was horrified at what she had done, and she reached out and collected Sarah in her arms. Holding her tightly, she continued to whisper apologies until Sarah couldn’t stand it any longer.

  Pulling back from the embrace, she looked into Abby’s remorseful face. “I knew it wasn’t me you were fighting.”

  “But I could have hurt you — or worse.”

  “But you didn’t.” Sarah smiled into Abby’s dark eyes. “It was a nightmare Abby. A nightmare of things you’ve seen, things I can’t even begin to comprehend. You have a serial killer playing games with you, and there are human lives at stake.” Abby tried to look away, but Sarah would have none of it. “No. Look at me, Abby. I can’t imagine what you’ve gone through or what you’ve seen, though I can see what it’s doing to you.” Sarah cupped both hands around Abby’s face. “You need help, Abby.”

  “I’m fine...it’s just...it’s been hard.”

  Sarah studied her face, but Abby no longer looked her in the eye. “Abby, can you tell me just one thing? Why? Why keep doing it? Why not just walk away?”

  Abby looked down, searching for the right words. “Because I need to do this. I have to put him behind bars.”

  “And if you can’t?” Sarah paused. “You’re so wrapped up in this case; I don’t think you realize what it’s doing to you.”

  “What it’s doing to me? I’m alive and breathing. Billy’s victims are not.”

  “Are you?” Sarah asked quietly. “Are you alive, Abby? Are you really living? Because it looks to me as though your life is totally consumed by this case, and that’s not healthy. You are out of control, in a dark world of...of evil.”

  “No, I’m not. I’m in complete control,” Abby said with full confidence, but she heard the whisper of truth deep in her mind. She was far from being in control. All of her emotions were dancing on the brink. The question was — which one was going to fall first. Staring at the woman in front of her, Abby focused on what Sarah was saying to her.

  “You need to let go. You are wound so tight that if you don’t bend, you will break.” She watched Abby intently, looking for a sign that her words had been heard. “When was the last time you did something just for you, just because you wanted to? When did you last do something spontaneous, just for fun? Just let yourself go?”

  Dark eyes lifted and studied Sarah’s concerned face. Her brow was furrowed with concern, her emerald eyes filled with compassion and care, and it was too much. I want you, Sarah. I want you so badly that I need you. You’re under my skin, and I can’t help myself. Abby leaned forward, and slowly, in one fluid decisive movement, she gently kissed her. Their lips barely touched, but she could feel the warmth of desire in Sarah’s response. And then it was gone.

  Sarah pulled back, startled. There was no question whether she liked what had just happened, rather whether she should let herself like it. The whispered wings of Abby’s kiss lingered on her lips as she searched within herself for stability.

  “You said to be spontaneous and to do what makes me happy,” Abby said, the edges of her mouth curling upward in a mischievous smile. When Sarah didn’t return the smile, Abby felt a rising doubt.

  Seeing what her hesitation had done, Sarah responded with her heart and not her head. She closed her eyes and leaned forward to kiss Abby’s lips, but this time it was a statement of desire, not a question of response.

  The intensity of the kiss grew, as did their passion and their wanting. Their lips pressed together tightly and Sarah felt her heart rate quicken when she heard a soft moan come from deep within Abby’s throat. The sound ignited a fire that wouldn’t be extinguished, no matter how loud the voices in her head got.

  Abby reacted without any hesitation. Everything about Sarah drove her insane with desire. She wanted more, so much more, and she wanted it now. Using her tongue, she parted Sarah’s lips, provoking an immediate response. Turning her body, Abby reached out and gently cupped a handful of red hair as she pulled Sarah closer to her. A series of prying and pressing kisses left them both gasping for breath. It was what they wanted, and for the first time, both of them knew it at the same time. Abby couldn’t seem to get enough, and Sarah offered her more. They arched, turned and twisted, pressing their bodies tightly into one another. The need for air pulled them apart, but it didn’t stop their explorations as Abby kissed her way to Sarah’s neck.

  “I want you... I’ve wanted you from the first day I saw you,” Abby whispered against Sarah’s neck.

  Sarah had her own wants and she tilted her head back, giving Abby the room and permission she needed. A low, moaned, “Yes,” escaped through Sarah’s parted lips and it spurred Abby on.

  Now that she’d had a taste of what she wanted, nothing was going to stop her as her lips trailed downward. The tender skin just below Sarah’s collarbone was so soft that she couldn’t help nuzzling her cheek against it. The friction caused Sarah to arch her back, pressing her small, firm breast against Abby’s throat. With a slow and caring hand, Abby unbuttoned Sarah’s shirt. Once freed of the binding material, she reached in with her other hand to caress the bra-covered breast.

  Sarah’s sensual moan started a pulsating warmth between Abby’s legs. Stroking the fabric that covered Sarah’s nipples, Abby felt Sarah’s fingers in her hair, pushing her head and mouth harder onto her breast. She reached around the young woman’s back with her good hand and pulled her closer. Sarah responded, wanting more and giving more. Abby felt alive; her skin tingled, her stomach felt tight with anticipation as her lips moved over Sarah’s hardening nipple.

  Sarah gasped at the warmth of Abby’s mouth and the circling movement of her tongue. A warm ache of anticipatory desire bubbled between her legs, and she wanted more, much more. The availability of two good hands gave Sarah the definite advantage as she lifted Abby’s head and pulled her up for a deep, passionate kiss. Their desires burning hotter, Sarah quickly undid Abby’s buttons, revealing the naked chest beneath. She didn’t hear the sound that came from her lips, but Abby did.

  Her wanton desire boiled over as she watched Sarah’s hand reach out to the center of her stomach. Her firm breast felt Sarah’s touch, and her nipples hardened as she pressed her hips into Sarah’s.

  Abby’s good hand was now holding herself balanced over Sarah’s body as she moved to caress Sarah’s breast, only to have the fiberglass of her cast scrape across the redhead’s tender skin.

  With a hiss, Sarah’s eyes flashed open at the sting. Flashing lights and sirens went off in her head as she gazed into Abby’s warm, dark eyes. What the hell am I doing? Sarah’s brain screamed into her consciousness. “This isn’t right,” she said quickly as she squirmed out from under the breathless and startled woman.

  “What? What’s not right?” Abby’s heart was racing in the grip of a
mixture of emotion and unbridled passion. “Sarah?” She watched in disbelief as Sarah refastened her shirt.

  Sarah glanced up at the astonished look on Abby’s face and her inviting naked chest, and for a brief moment she wavered. Forcing her eyes from Abby’s athletic bronzed body, she held up her hands in supplication. “I can’t do this.”

  “Can’t do what?” Abby asked. “Are we going too fast?” Abby stood up. “Whatever you want, Sarah, just tell me.” She desperately wanted to understand. “What the hell just happened? Sarah!”

  “I can’t. I want to, but I, I can’t.” She turned and hurried out the door before Abby had to a chance to collect her thoughts.

  “Sarah?” she called, following after her as far as the deck. But she was gone. Frustrated, Abby collapsed into the swinging bench on the deck. The cool night air danced over her open shirt as she reached to do up the buttons. Everything in her told her that she hadn’t been wrong about the feelings Sarah had for her. She saw it in her eyes and she felt it in her touch. Looking up at the stars, Abby lightly stroked her lips with the tips of her fingers. The detective in her knew that people could learn to lie about a lot of things, but the woman in her knew — you couldn’t lie about a kiss.

  Chapter 11

  Sarah was the first thing Abby thought of when she woke the next morning. Pulling on her jeans, she walked barefoot through her cabin with her flannel shirt unbuttoned. She stopped only long enough to pull on her boots before she headed for Sarah’s. Buck’s head came up as the front doors opened, and his tail wagged a greeting, only to stop when Abby walked past him trying to tuck in her shirt.

  “Come on, then.” She slapped the side of her leg, as she ducked beneath some of the low hanging cedar boughs. Abby stopped when she saw that Sarah’s Honda was not in the driveway.

  “Abby?”

  She looked up to see Helga coming toward her with a package in her hands.

  “This came for you.” She held out the box.