Allison Brennan - Killing Fear

He wanted to enjoy her squirming beneath his gaze. He wanted to watch her face while he tortured and killed her lover. He wanted to stare into her eyes as she watched the blood drain slowly from William’s body. To hear her beg. To listen to her pleas.

What would she do, what would she say, to save him? Would she finally admit that he controlled her? That he had the power? Theodore would find out soon.

Impatience clawed at him. He looked around the cheap dive Mexican bar he’d staked a seat in after the old folks dropped him off across the border. Too easy.

He drained his beer and motioned for the pretty little chica to bring him another.

His plan was rather brilliant, but he expected nothing less of himself. He just needed a little time for the police to move on to other cases. Crime didn’t stop, and once they proved he’d left the country, they’d have to let it go.

Robin had it in her little mind that she was a big, tough woman, yet she was nothing but a scared, aging stripper whose only power was her body.

When he had Juliet, Romeo would follow.

The Latina babe put the beer in front of him. “Gracias,” he said and smiled.

The girl beamed. She swung her hips seductively as she moved back behind the bar. One of the men glowered at him as he watched the show. Theodore stared back. The man averted his eyes. The chica kept glancing over at Theodore. He winked.

It would be nice to have sex with that hot little chica, no strings attached. Maybe he’d have a place to stay while he secured his money and worked out the details of his plan to kill William and Robin.

He smiled. He was getting away with murder and it felt good.

The coroner had just gone inside Sara Lorenz’s house, and Will was about to follow, when Hans waved him over. “Glenn is telling the truth. He’s in Mexico.”

“That’s fucked. How?”

“Drove across into Tijuana at eight forty-two this morning.”

“You have the exact time?”

“We have him on camera. He made a point of it.”

“How? Why didn’t they grab him?”

“He was in the back of a car driven by two senior citizens. The Border Patrol agents were specifically looking for a male driver fitting his description, or passenger with a female driver. They don’t have the man power to pull over every vehicle. Glenn is charming, he’s altered his appearance somewhat, he could have said any number of things to convince the couple to drive him across. Seriously, everyone is warned about bringing passengers from Mexico into California, but in reverse?”

Will knew Hans was right, but what was he going to tell Robin? Once in Mexico it was up to the Federal government to extradite him and the Mexican government rarely helped. The American government had no authority down there.

“I have LEGAT on it and they’re going straight to the top. No playing around on this one. But-”

“But we probably won’t get any help.”

Hans glanced around, made sure no one was eavesdropping. “I might have someone who can look around for us. Completely off-the-record.”

“Who?”

“A friend of mine. I’ve worked with him in the past, he has contacts everywhere.”

Will told Hans firmly, “You find him; I’ll bring him back.”

“You can’t, Will, and you know it. But my friend can.”

Will nodded. Hans said, “I’ll make the call.”

Robin had been trying to paint all day, with little success. Worry about her business, Theodore Glenn, the nice Jim Gage being killed in his own home-everything she attempted to create on canvas looked as bleak as she felt. So when Will came by late that afternoon, she relished the break-until she looked into his tired, worried eyes.

“I don’t even want to ask, but something happened.”

Will said, “Glenn slipped out of town.”

“He’s not here? How do you know?”

“He was spotted crossing the border into Mexico. Tijuana.”

Robin blinked rapidly. “And no one stopped him?”

“I watched the security camera tape. He changed his hair-added some gray-and he has on dark contact lenses. Very average looking. And he wasn’t alone. He had two seniors with him.”

“Are they okay?”

“We have an officer at their house waiting for them to return. We ran their license, we know who they are-no record, not even unpaid parking tickets. We spoke to their neighbors and learned that they go down one Friday a month to meet with some retired teachers’ group. They’ll be back tonight and we’ll talk to them. Find out where they left Glenn, if he said anything.” Will looked at Robin, rubbed her chin. “We will find him.”

“He’s gone.” The stress of the last six days intensified. He was gone…but for how long? “Is the Federal government going after him?” Will averted his eyes, just a fraction, but Robin knew he was keeping something from her. “What is it? Will, what aren’t you telling me?”

“It’s not-”

“Don’t tell me it’s not important. If it’s about Theodore Glenn, it’s important! I need to know.”

“He killed Sara Lorenz. Stabbed her to death last night.”

She sat heavily on the couch. “I–I want to feel bad. But she helped him. She spied on me.”

“He also left me a letter. Told me he was going to Mexico.”

“And?”

Will didn’t say anything for a long minute.

“Dammit, Will, I’m not a fragile flower. Tell me!”

“He said he was coming back. I just won’t know when.”

Robin took a deep breath. This had been what she feared, in some ways more than facing Glenn again. Knowing he was free, waiting to pounce on her. Taking his time.

“I’m not going to let him touch you. Robin, we have everyone looking for him. The Feds have people in Mexico. We are on the border-”

“You were supposedly on the border before he crossed it, too,” she snapped, feeling bad for taking it out on Will. “I’m sorry, it’s not you-”

“Don’t apologize. I know how you feel, Robin. I feel the same way.”

She shook her head. “No. No, you don’t. I’ve put my life on hold. I hired a bodyguard. I closed my business. I’ve barely left my loft. I’m trapped. All because of him. ” She didn’t even want to say his name anymore. “I think that’s exactly what he wants. He wants me to be jumping at shadows, looking over my shoulder, worried that he could come for me at any minute. I’m not going to live in fear for the rest of my life! Not anymore.”

She stood, walked over to the window and looked down at the crowded street below. “I’ve been living in fear for seven years, even while he was in prison. The dark scares me because I immediately think about Anna. Falling in her blood. I sleep with the lights on like a little girl. I have a gun because I think it can save me, but only I can do that. Only I can take back my life.”

She faced Will. “He’s not going to have power over me anymore. I’m not going to let him.” She stepped toward Will, a weight lifting from her heart. Saying the words out loud, believing them, made Robin feel free for the first time in years. “I’ve made something of my life, and I’m going to enjoy it. I’m not going to let that bastard take it away from me!”

Will grabbed her, pulled her tight against his body, his lips pressed hard on hers. She opened her mouth, tasted him, a free woman at last. Free and in love.

“Robin,” he murmured. “You’ve never let anyone control you.”

He ran both his hands through her hair and she leaned into his caress. “I will do anything, Robin, anything to keep you in my life. You’re vibrant. Beautiful. Smart. I’m complete with you. I would do anything for you. Mostly, though, I need you.”