Evan could feel cold pooling in his chest. “Who is the cousin, Megan?”
“It’s not the cousin that’s a big deal. It’s the cousin’s BFF at the hospital, who was just released back to his family about six months ago.”
“Who?”
“Christopher Cady. Vince’s son. According to records I hacked, Cady sent him there five years ago at the ripe old age of seventeen, after a fourth woman claimed Christopher attacked her. The Cady family couldn’t buy her off, like they had the others, so needed him out of the country quick.”
“Juliet said the emails have been coming for about a year,” Evan stated. “Would Christopher have had access to email at this hospital place?”
“Without a doubt. It’s not a prison, it’s more of a retreat. And when Cady got home six months ago? That’s when the pickup in emails really started.”
So many things made sense. How the emails became more excitable a few days ago, after Cady met Juliet for the first time. And the looks Evan had seen on Christopher’s face while on the yacht.
Obsession.
A man obsessed with Juliet had her in his clutches. The cold in Evan’s chest spread further.
“Wait, she’s on the move now, actually headed toward you.” Megan provided them coordinates. “Do you want me to send in local PD?”
“No,” Evan told her. “Police might cause Christopher to do something desperate. But have them on standby.” Evan didn’t want to risk Juliet’s life.
“Hurry,” Megan said. “If she gets out of range, we’ll lose her. That transmitter is limited. I’ll keep giving you coordinates. Right now, she’s still headed north.”
“Drive faster,” Evan whispered to Dylan. He prayed they would get to her in time.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Christopher Cady was certifiably insane. Juliet wasn’t sure how she hadn’t seen it before. Now she wished when she’d flipped him on the yacht that he’d fallen overboard.
Because he was crazy. He really was.
He had found her by tracking her phone, Christopher had told her. They were in his car back at Annapolis Harbor. Juliet had driven, with Christopher pointing his gun at her and stroking her hair the entire way.
The gun didn’t freak her out nearly as much as the hair-stroking did. Every touch caused her to cringe, flinch, her flesh crawling.
She had to keep it together, keep her wits about her, and pray like never before that the emergency transmitter in her necklace was working.
Evan would get to her. He had to.
She couldn’t believe they were back at Annapolis Harbor. From where they were parked, Juliet could see the unique three-pronged flagpole in the middle of Susan Campbell Park. It was late; the harbor was empty. Juliet had tried to buy more time by driving as slowly as possible, but she could go only so slow without Christopher realizing she was stalling.
“I know you don’t love me now, sweetheart.” Christopher twisted a strand of her hair between his fingers as they sat in the parked car. “But you will. I have another boat, one that doesn’t require a staff. It will be just you and me.”
He got out of the car, keeping his gun pointed at her the entire time as he walked around to her door. He opened it and pulled her out.
“Christopher, what about Bob? I’m married. I can’t just leave him and run off with you.”
“Don’t worry. I’m going to get you situated in the boat, then come back and finish your husband for good.”
“What?”
“He doesn’t deserve to live, sweetheart. He didn’t protect you when you needed it most. Not eighteen months ago and not yesterday.”
“Christopher—” Juliet wanted to break through to her captor, but there didn’t seem to be much chance.
“It was me who protected you yesterday, not him. Because we are meant to be together, you and I.”
Juliet wasn’t prepared for Christopher’s kiss. Something snapped in her. She bit down on his lip and then pushed him away with all her strength.
But he was ready for that. She found herself being spun around and flung against the car, Christopher using his weight to hold her there while he yanked her arms behind her back and bound her wrists together with a zip tie. Juliet tried to breathe through the panic.
“I should be angry, but I’m not. You’re not ready yet, but you will be soon.” He tightened the tie. “This will just help me keep you on the boat until I can take care of Bob. I have to admit I was hoping he would be with you at your house, so I could get rid of him before even talking to you.”
Thank God they’d arrested Heath Morel and Evan had gone with her brothers to question him. Otherwise, Evan would probably be dead now.
Christopher grabbed Juliet by the arm and started marching her toward the pier. She knew she couldn’t allow him to get her on that boat. If she did it would cost both her and Evan their lives.
“Stay quiet. If you yell and someone comes to investigate, I’ll be forced to kill them. You don’t want that on your conscience, do you?”
No, she didn’t, but she didn’t want to get on that vessel with this lunatic, either. The docks were pretty quiet at this time of night and Juliet didn’t see anyone she could yell to, anyway.
They were nearing the boat slips now, Christopher angling her toward one of the last ones, where a large sailboat floated serenely in the water. Under other circumstances Juliet would have loved to climb aboard, but now she just wanted to get away. She kept testing the zip tie, hoping to find a way out of it, but to no avail.
She would have to try to fight Christopher with her arms restrained. Because she sure as hell wasn’t getting on the boat of her own accord.
Juliet tensed, about to make
