Picnic in Someday Valley (Honey Creek #2)(43)

She turned away. Of all the men who came to party, he was the worst. He hadn’t seemed drunk, and from his harsh words she knew exactly what he planned to do once they got into her trailer.

Marcie wouldn’t turn around now. She wouldn’t look at him. Maybe he’d go away. There were too many people around. He wouldn’t dare touch her.

She could feel the heat of his breath against the back of her neck.

In a low voice, he said, “Tell that giant who attacked us that me and the boys have been talking. He’s going to pay for what he did. All of us have scars and pain from him crashing our party. He won’t stand so tall when a chainsaw accidentally cuts him down to size. It’ll take a while for him to bleed out, and I plan to make sure my face is the last one he sees. I’ve been pushed around enough. This time I’m fighting back.”

Marcie still didn’t look at the man. She never wanted to see him again. Just knowing he was near now would haunt her dreams.

She started shaking as tears dripped unchecked down her face.

In a whisper he added, “When we finish with him we plan to visit you. You won’t fight much when you’re tied to the ground back in those trees behind your trashy trailer. We’ll make sure to go far enough into the trees that no one will hear your screams. And, trust me, you will scream.”

His laugh was hard and loud, then his words came low and harsh. “I’ll be the last to take a turn with you. You’ll be tired of screaming by then and the fight will have been beaten out of you. So, I’ll have to cut that soft skin of yours just enough that you’ll bleed and beg me to stop. Before I’m ready to have fun, you’ll be covered in your own blood. It’ll be warm when I smear it all over you. After a while you won’t mind it. You might even stop trying to scream, but that won’t keep the cuts from slicing deeper.” He laughed a hard bark of a laugh then added, “You want me to tell you where I like to cut first?”

There wasn’t enough air in the huge foyer. Marcie began to rock back and forth, trying not to faint. Trying to move away. Trying to survive.

He was so excited he almost giggled. “I love the smell of blood.”

Someone called her name from the second floor landing, but she couldn’t move.

She heard his footsteps moving away, then a side door open and close, but she remained still. Afraid to look. Afraid to hope he was gone.

When a hand touched her shoulder she let out the beginning of a scream. Then gulped it down as Piper Mackenzie moved in front of her.

“Marcie. Are you all right?” Piper asked in a worried voice. “No. You’re not all right.”

Marcie made a little nod, then kept nodding as if she had no way to stop.

Piper put her arm around her friend and walked her to the elevator. Marcie was still nodding when Piper sat her down on the couch in her office and grabbed a coat from a hook behind the door. “You look like you could be going into shock. Are you hurt? Has something terrible happened?”

“I’m not hurt,” Marcie whispered.

Piper opened a door to the next room and said, “Autumn, hold all my calls, and would you please get me two cups of coffee?”

A voice beyond the door yelled, “I get coffee now? Since when?”

Piper looked back at Marcie, then ordered, “Since now. Tap on the door when you’re back and I’ll take them. And no one enters my office. No one.”

Marcie took a long breath and finally uncoiled her hands. “I’m all right. I’m sorry I screamed. I don’t mean to be any trouble.”

“You’re not. I saw you work the worst shift ever as a dispatcher and never even look panicked, which I was, several times during the storm. Whatever has upset you, Marcie, is real, and we’re going to deal with it.”

Piper pulled her chair around to face Marcie. “I saw that man talking to you. Did he frighten you?”

Marcie bowed her head for a moment, then looked up at her friend. She felt like the little kid alone on the playground again and Piper was waiting to help her.

They drank their coffee in silence, then Piper said, “Tell me what he said to you.”

“I can’t.”

Piper took her hand. “I swear it will never go beyond this room if that’s the way you want it. You’re not alone. If I can’t help, I’ll cry with you, but I’m not going away.”

Marcie set down her coffee and began. She told her the whole story from the time Joey talked to her at the bar to the bald guy saying what he planned to do to Brandon Rodgers. She said he sounded excited when he told of what he wanted to do to her.

Piper never let go of her hand.

“This is all my fault,” Marcie whispered. “Because of me, they are going to hurt Brand.”

Piper finally stood and paced. “We can go to the sheriff. He’d talk to them.”

“I don’t even know their names. Joey, I know, but he’ll be too afraid to talk. I think some of them live in Someday Valley, but I’m not sure. I’ve just seen them around.”

“What do you want to do?”

“I want to warn Brand.”

Piper agreed. “As bad as what the bald man said was, the guy made a big mistake talking to you. He let us know his plan. We’ll be ready if he comes. Promise me you won’t go back home.”

“I’m already packed. I’m never going back.”