Dare to Trust (The Dare 1)

Mike clenched his teeth and felt about ready to explode.

A pair of Marlena’s panties were in a ball on the floor and there looked to be something wet on them.

“I hope the stupid son of a bitch was dumb enough to jerk off in those. Sorry, Mike,” the detective said, and Mike nodded his head and tried to control his fuming temper. This guy was sick, blatant, and unafraid of the law. He felt the hand on his shoulder.

“Let’s wait outside. The forensics team will be here soon, we all need to work on a plan to go hunting,” Taylor said, and Mike agreed. This wasn’t a normal case. Not just because it was his girlfriend involved but because this guy Peter appeared to believe he was above the law and could get away with doing anything he wanted to try and get to Marlena. He felt sick to his stomach. The guy fucking went through her panties, maybe jerked off in them, and was on her bed. It was becoming pretty clear that Peter needed to b

e stopped before someone else got hurt. They couldn’t leave Marlena alone. They had to protect her no matter what. They had to.

* * * *

What do you mean I can’t go back to the cottage? Why the hell not?” Marlena asked as she got into the SUV with Danny and Jack. She was sitting in the middle between them.

They were being very quiet and yet they were touching her every chance they had and even kissing her or looking at her with soft expressions. But what also caught her attention was the way Jack kept looking in his rearview mirror and side mirrors as if seeing if someone was following them.

“What in God’s name is going on? Just tell me already,” she said.

“Nothing is going on. Let’s head to our place. You can shower and change and we’ll make some dinner,” Danny told her.

“I need more clothes. I’ve been wearing the same things over and over again the last two weeks.” She raised her voice and both men were quiet. Both men had firm expressions and seemed to be half paying attention to her. She saw Jack look in the rearview mirror again and this time Danny looked at the side mirror.

She looked over her shoulder trying to see what they could be looking at.

“Why do you keep doing that? Are you looking for someone?” she asked just as they saw multiple state police vehicles pass by them in the opposite direction.

Looking back, it appeared as if they were headed into the center of town.

“What was that all about?” she asked and Danny looked at Jack. Jack gripped the steering wheel tighter.

“Jack?” She pushed, and touched his forearm. He was tense, hard, angry. She gulped and pulled back. This wasn’t his normal demeanor. Then it hit her. The police cars, the state police, the two of them acting funny and not letting her go to her own cottage, and all the chaos as she exited the diner tonight. Peter was in the area and they knew it.

She covered her mouth and felt the tears emerge just as Jack made the turn down the long dirt road that led to their property. The sheriff’s patrol car was there along with Detective Morgan’s.

Jack pulled the truck to a stop and Danny took her hand.

“We won’t let him get to you, Marlena. We will protect you.”

“Tell me what happened. Did someone see Peter nearby? Did he do something?”

“Help her out of the vehicle. We’ll discuss everything that’s going on inside with Mike.”

Jack looked so pissed off. It made her feel unsteady as Danny helped her from the SUV.

Everyone looked at her and Detective Morgan approached.

“Mike, the sheriff, and Taylor and I went over the entire house. Everything looks secure. She’ll be safe here when she’s not at work.”

“She’s not going back to the diner. Not until this nutjob is caught,” Jack stated firmly.

“What? Wait a minute. Someone tell me what’s happening here.”

“You didn’t explain things to her?” Detective Morgan asked.

Jack and Danny looked at Mike as he approached.

“I asked them not to.”

“Mike, what happened?”