Fear for your life, p.1
Fear For Your Life, page 1
Fear for Your Life
C. M. Sutter
Contents
About the Author
Fear for Your Life
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
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Thank you!
Copyright © 2022
All Rights Reserved
* * *
AUTHOR’S NOTE
* * *
This book is a work of fiction by C. M. Sutter. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used solely for entertainment. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the internet or any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.
About the Author
C. M. Sutter is a crime fiction author who resides in Tampa, Florida.
With more than thirty books published in the thriller and crime fiction genres, she can often be found with a laptop in hand and writing at every opportunity.
She is an art enthusiast and loves to create gourd birdhouses, pebble art, and handmade soaps. Gardening, bicycling, fishing, playing with her dog, and traveling the world are a few of her favorite pastimes.
C. M. Sutter
http://cmsutter.com/
Contact C. M. Sutter
Sign up for C. M. Sutter’s newsletter
* * *
Fear for Your Life
Detective Mitch Cannon-Savannah Heat Thriller Series, Book 5
* * *
A lone high heel found on a sidewalk and a ticketed car set the week in motion for Savannah Homicide Detective Mitch Cannon, and each day gets worse. Bodies are discovered with only one thing in common—a lack of internal organs.
Is somebody in the Hostess City of the South conducting satanic rituals with innocent people or, even worse, trafficking organs to the highest bidder?
When all other leads fail, the chance sighting of a vehicle in question gives Mitch and his partner, Devon Rue, the break they’re looking for. Yet what they discover turns the case completely upside down.
* * *
See all of C. M. Sutter’s books at:
http://cmsutter.com/available-books/
* * *
Find C. M. Sutter on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/cmsutterauthor/
Don’t want to miss C. M. Sutter’s next release? Sign up for the VIP e-mail list at:
http://cmsutter.com/newsletter/
Chapter 1
The moonless night was exactly what Teddy and Chase were looking for. The streets had gone quiet since the bars closed, with most tourists finding their way back to their hotel rooms. Young locals had a different plan. They knew where the after-bar parties were and had no intentions of calling it a night until the early morning hours. After all, the weekend had started, and the ladies were out in droves.
The two men weren’t searching for the next party. They were on the hunt, and any woman on foot was fair game. A female was easier to manage than a guy, and that night, the women would be ripe for the picking.
Teddy drove while his brother, Chase, looked up and down every street in the historic district, where most of the bars and restaurants were located. Chase was larger and stronger, the perfect person to do the grabbing. He watched for movement. That night could be the one. Ever since Chase, the eldest of the two, had driven his van from Macon to Savannah several days earlier, they’d done their best to score but hadn’t had any luck. Tonight would be different. Teddy felt it in his bones and didn’t want to disappoint his brother.
“You sure we can do this?” Teddy asked.
“Yep. It’s not a big deal. Grandpa taught us how to hunt, remember? I’ve done my research, and this could make all the difference in the world.” Chase gave Teddy a grin. “I already have my best contacts set up. It’s a no-brainer.”
Teddy’s eyes darted to the illuminated clock on the dash—2:21 a.m. There had to be a woman somewhere walking the street, even if she was just going to her parked car. The bars had closed nearly a half hour earlier, and the party crowd was leaving the area.
“There!” Chase leaned forward and pointed out the windshield. He got a better look then nodded as if satisfied. “That’s what I’m talking about! Damn, it’s about time.”
Teddy laughed. “Dude, we’ve only been driving around for fifteen minutes. Climb in the back and get ready to pull open the side door. I’ll slow alongside her and ask directions. When she comes closer, you jump out and snatch her up.”
Chase rubbed his hands together. “I’m more than ready.” He stepped over the console to the back of the van, which was already prepared for their guest. Duct tape, zip ties, a rag to gag her with, a flashlight, and rope sat in a cardboard box. A medium-sized cooler sat next to the box and had plenty of ice and celebratory drinks inside. An open sleeping bag with a tarp spread over it lay in the rear space, which was devoid of back seats. The van was a personal hell on wheels for the unlucky woman who would be scooped up and dragged inside.
They didn’t want to know her name or hear her pleas. That would make her a real person and not just an object of their obsession. The plan was to immediately gag her and cover her mouth with duct tape then tie her to the large eye bolts screwed into the van’s inner walls. She would be at their mercy, and they could have all night and tomorrow with her. The purpose was twofold, but the kill, when that time came, was paramount.
“Okay, I’m ready to stop. Once she comes to the window, leap out.” Teddy lowered the passenger-side window and called out to the girl as he pulled to the curb. From the way she was dressed and the way she walked, it seemed clear that she’d just left one of the bars. Her high heels made her less stable on her feet, and because she was wobbly, her guard and apprehension were down too. Teddy ran his fingers through his long blond hair before talking. “Excuse me. I’m lost. Can you tell me how to get to that historic hotel on East Congress?”
She laughed as she crossed the sidewalk toward him. “They’re all historic, dummy.”
“What did you say? I can’t hear you.” Teddy nodded at Chase when she reached the open window.
“I said they’re all—”
Chase grabbed the handle, yanked open the door, and grabbed the woman off the sidewalk. He tossed her into the van and slammed the door as Teddy floored the gas pedal. They were gone in under ten seconds.
She screamed and bucked, and with each cry for help, Teddy twisted the volume knob on the radio. Her panicked cries would go unheard. As Chase straddled her, he forced the rag into her mouth, sealed it with duct tape, then zip tied her to the ropes that were already strung through the eye bolts. The nameless woman was doomed, and the expression on her face told her assailant that she knew it.
Chase slapped his hands together as Teddy pointed the nose of the van toward his house on the edge of town. “There. She’s contained for now. Let’s go home and celebrate our first joint success.”
“Yep, we have twenty-four hours before we need to do what we need to do. Let’s have some fun, drink, and relax. Tomorrow night, we’ll dump her out near Skidaway Island.”
“Sounds good to me.” Chase cracked open two beer bottles and passed one to Teddy.
Teddy clinked bottles with his brother. “It’s remote and densely wooded, and there’s plenty of marshland in the area. Nothing other than wildlife, and she won’t be discovered for weeks if she’s found at all. After I pull off the main road and into the woods, nobody will ever know we were there.”
Chase chuckled. “Sounds like the perfect dumping grounds to me.”
Chapter 2
It was early afternoon on Saturday, a day we’d been looking forward to as a family. My partner, Devon, and I made sure we had the day off—murder cases or not. It was Meg’s fortieth birthday, a milestone, and we weren’t about to let her forget it. Mom, my sister, Marie, and I had been planning the event for weeks, and after getting a promise from my brother-in-law, Jeff, not to slip up, we asked him to invite his and Meg’s friends to our family home for the party. The cousins would play with each other and Gus, the adults would cook and drink, and everyone would enjoy the afternoon well into the night. Designated drivers and babysitters were a
The weather couldn’t have been more perfect as we set up the party space that went from the kitchen out to the deck and flowed down to the backyard. Wispy clouds and a bright-blue sky promised a day of uninterrupted outdoor entertainment. Streamers, black balloons, and signs reminding Meg of her age were taped to every door and tacked to every tree. She would get the business from us because that was the kind of family we were. Everyone got roasted on their special day. It was a rite of passage in the Cannon family, and Meg would happily suck it up and take her turn.
At three o’clock, I received the text I’d been anticipating from Jeff. He said they were en route and would reach the house in fifteen minutes. All the guests had parked on the next block then walked to the house to hide until Jeff, Meg, and the kids came in. It would be the typical surprise birthday party but one everybody enjoyed.
In a quick return text, I reminded Jeff that they needed to come in through the front door. As far as Meg knew, we were having a simple family birthday party with burgers and hot dogs on the grill, gifts, cake, and ice cream. Deep down, I was sure she knew better.
The guests headed into the den to wait while Marie, Mom, Rue, and I watched out the window. When Jeff’s SUV rounded the corner, I yelled out that as soon as they walked in, the entire group needed to jump out and wish Meg a happy birthday.
“Here we go, everyone! They’re coming up the sidewalk. Let them get in the door before you jump out.”
Whispers and chuckles sounded until I shushed everyone, then it was dead silent. As usual, Meg just walked in, then she nearly hit the ceiling when twenty-five people poured out of the den and yelled “Happy Birthday!”
She turned ten shades of red, punched Jeff, then punched me and Marie. She wagged her finger at Mom while we all got a good laugh at her expense.
“What the hell! You guys got me good.”
“And the party is just beginning,” I reminded her.
Meg groaned. “Just wait, brother. Your fortieth is the last one, and you’ll pay dearly.”
We all headed to the backyard, and by the look on her face, Meg was truly surprised. “Wow! This is awesome. You guys went above and beyond what was necessary.”
“No way,” Marie said. “I remember my fortieth, and nobody had mercy on me. It’s your turn.”
Meg laughed. “That’s what I’m afraid of.”
I grinned at the kids, who were already running around the yard, chasing and being chased by Gus. They squealed in delight, and the look on Mom’s face was priceless. Birthdays and holidays made family time so important.
Rue and I headed to the grill with the platters of dogs and burgers while Jeff and Meg mingled with guests. Marie and Mom set out the appetizers, condiments, and beverages. The tables and chairs had been set up earlier.
Rue watched the grill while I went inside and started the playlist of Meg’s favorite classic rock tunes. She blew me an air-kiss when I stepped back outside.
So far, the day was going perfectly, and after the meal, the roasting would begin. That was the part I looked forward to the most.
My phone vibrated in my pocket, meaning a text had come in, so I slipped away to a shady spot to view the screen. I imagined it had to be from someone at the precinct, yet they all knew we were celebrating Meg’s birthday. I tapped the message, and it was from our boss, Royce. It was a heads-up that might need our attention tomorrow or Monday when our workweek began. He said a lone high heel was found on the sidewalk only a block from the bar district, and a ticketed car had sat at the curb overnight a hundred feet farther down the street. I grimaced and scanned the yard, and since nobody was watching me, I made a quick call.
“Hey, Boss,” I said when Royce picked up. “What do you know about the ticketed vehicle?”
“It’s a 2012 blue Honda Civic that belongs to a twenty-three-year-old single female named Valerie Dawson. SVU tracked down her family, and they gave them a few names to call.”
“Friends of hers?”
“Yep. So far, she’s considered unaccounted for. If she doesn’t pop up by the end of the day, especially because of that high heel lying on the sidewalk, her parents are going to fill out a missing person report.”
“Did they identify that shoe?”
“The parents didn’t, but one friend, Sherry Lyman, who she was out with last night, said Valerie was wearing black heels.”
“So I assume the high heel was black?”
“That’s correct. For now, it’s out of our hands, but I wanted you to be aware. I’m sure SVU will be looking for cameras in the area and at the last bar the girls were at.”
“Which was?”
“Sparky’s, and they closed at two a.m.”
“Got it.”
“So, how’s the party going?”
“Couldn’t be better. Meg is in for the roasting of her life after we eat.”
Royce chuckled. “As she should be. Have a great time and tell her happy birthday for me.”
“Will do.” I hung up and rejoined Devon at the grill. It looked like the first round of burgers and dogs were about done.
“Where’d you disappear to?” Rue asked.
“Curiosity got the best of me. A text came in from Royce alerting me to a possible missing twenty-three-year-old woman.”
Devon frowned. “Why us? Doesn’t sound like our department.”
I shook my head. “I know. Just a heads-up on his part. Evidently, a lone high heel was found about a hundred feet from her overnight and ticketed parked car.”
“Shit.”
I swatted the air. “It isn’t our case, and today is all about Meg. I probably shouldn’t have called Royce, and if anyone other than you knew I did, I’d be in big trouble.”
“Nobody is going to hear it come from my mouth. Anyway, the first burgers and dogs are hot off the grill.”
“Good, and I’ll let the ladies decide who goes first.”
We spent the next hour eating and enjoying everyone’s company. Birthday cake, coffee, and juice for the kids came after that. The roasting, some containing colorful stories and memories, would take place over drinks later. During that time, the kids would be in the house watching movies and playing video games with the sitter.
The meal, the opening of gifts, and even the off-color jokes aimed at Meg would make it a birthday she wouldn’t soon forget.
Everyone had a great time, and the crowd began to thin around ten o’clock. While the cousins dozed on the couch, the remaining grown-ups relaxed, reminisced, and enjoyed a few bottles of wine. We called it a night at eleven thirty, a respectable hour, and Meg’s babysitter drove the family home.
I said good night to Rue, told him I would talk to him the next day, and made sure he was fine to drive. The trip from my house to his own was under seven minutes.
Mom and I cleaned up while Marie got the kids in their jammies and off to bed.
“What a great party that was.” Marie, who had just come downstairs, sighed then pitched in with the cleanup.
I laughed. “And Meg took all that razzing like a trouper.”
“I raised strong kids,” Mom said. “You three can take anything.”
“Like you can’t? You’re the toughest seventy-year-old I know.”
Mom grinned at me. “Thanks, honey, but you kind of force it out of us.”
