Chapter Six
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She hated the new process of David going everywhere before her and someone else taking up her flank. Jada felt smothered. Being in crowds with people hovering around her was normal, but there was a major difference having these two around. They were carrying guns, which made her tense. David told her to act naturally, but that was easier said than done. She forced a smile, knowing it wasn’t her usual welcoming one. And because people were not approaching as they usually did, Jada knew they picked up on it as well.
Once inside her dressing room, Jada turned to David and said, “This isn’t working.”
“I disagree.”
“Really? Why?” Jada asked.
“Because you’re safe.”
That seemed to be his response to everything. But destroying her career wasn’t the answer. She might be an established supermodel, but no one was going to hire her if they believed trouble was going to follow. Security wasn’t the problem. Many people had bodyguards. David and his team weren’t the norm. Scaring everyone away wasn’t the answer. She was going to have to take action herself if he wasn’t willing to back off. “David, I know you mean well, but I can’t do my job this way.”
He leaned against the door and asked, “Why can’t you do something else?”
“I have spent half my life modeling. It’s my life. My career.”
“And?”
Jada couldn’t believe he was treating it like it was nothing. Part of her was upset that he could dismiss it so easily. But he doesn’t know what I do. “I have commitments, David. People count on me to show up when scheduled. It is not just my livelihood that would be affected if I didn’t. There are photographers and stylists, to name a few.”
“They can find other work. Just like you can.”
Jada laughed. “Oh really? Walk away from everything I love because you think I’m in danger? Next thing you’re going to tell me is I can’t fly because the plane could crash or drive in case there’s an accident. Oh, wait, how about no stairs in case I trip and fall.” She knew she was being dramatic, but she wanted to make her point. His expression said she had, and he wasn’t pleased. That makes two of us.
“I’m glad you’re enjoying this.”
“Not really. I’m about to go on the runway, and you guys are not following me.”
“I spoke to the manager, and he said—”
“I don’t care what he said. Neither you nor your guys are going there. If you want me to cooperate with you, then you have to have a little bit of leeway with me. Otherwise, this is not going to work.” She was usually easy-going but everything that happened today had her on edge. She was standing in her six-inch stilettos ready to walk down the runway, and her knees were wobbly. That was not like her. She could feel her career slipping through her fingers if she didn’t stop this madness immediately. “I’m serious, David. If you can’t back off so I can do my job, then consider yourself permanently dismissed. And I mean it this time.”
She was tired. Exhausted. Jada needed him to respect her request as much as she had his. She could tell David wasn’t happy with her statement. Jada wasn’t trying to be unreasonable, but they were from different lifestyles, and he didn’t seem to understand hers.
“Jada, you’re making a mistake.”
“But it’s mine to make,” Jada said softly, hoping this was the end of her pleading.
David stared at her for what felt like an eternity. She wasn’t going to budge on this, not this time. This wasn’t just any runway show. This Miami event was for her most prominent client, and if they felt as though she could not perform, word would get out and spread like wildfire. It was so hard to make it to the top, but so easy to fall from it.
Jada’s heart was racing as she waited to see what David’s next move would be. She trusted him, which was not easy for her to do, but she needed him to trust her as well. I know what I’m doing just like you do.
“If you’re not back in this dressing room immediately after the finale, I will come and hunt your ass down and carry you back to that chopper. Got it?”
David was giving her what she asked, somewhat. Jada should’ve known he wouldn’t relinquish total control. At least, she would be able to perform without concern for what he or his men were going to do.
In a soft voice she said, “Thank you, David.”
“Thank me by being right.”
Jada nodded as she opened the door and headed down the hallway. It felt a little odd without David or one of his men looming over her, but with each step she came closer to the stage, she began to feel more and more like herself. As she approached the other models, the mask she normally wore to conceal her true self was back in place. They didn’t want to know she was stressed and having a rough week. All they wanted, all anyone wanted, was to see Jada Hope, supermodel. Jada excelled at forcing a smile. It’s show time.
Her legs were steady, and as she strutted down the runway, every ounce of her confidence returned. The camera flashes and the crowd were the only things she was aware of. As she made it to the end of the runway, she did her normal stance of looking to the right and then snapping her head to look to the left and down. That’s when she saw him. She struggled to remember his name. David had mentioned it once, but she brushed it off because it meant nothing to her. But here he was again, just days later. Was he stalking her? Was that why he had been at that party and asked her to dance?
The music continued to play, and she knew she needed to spin and walk back up the runway to change into her next gown. With each step, she knew she needed to get word back to David. He would want to know. I hope he already does.
Her wardrobe change took place in the same room where the other models were doing theirs. The set up was a little different than most of her events, and normally that wouldn’t trouble her. Right now, anything and everything seemed to disturb her. She had to calm down. Jada’s mind was getting the best of her. She had to remind herself this was not the first event he’d shown up at. He was a regular at them. That made him a little creepy and odd, but he wasn’t the only one who liked to follow what was happening in the high fashion industry.
Unlike the other models, Jada had people assist her in the wardrobe change. It was a perk for being the headliner. As they helped her slip on the second gown, she reminded herself of what she had told David moments earlier. If she wasn’t going to let David interfere, then there was no way in hell she was letting some weird guy, who really might only be there for the clothes, ruin this for her either.
With a whole new resolve, she headed back to the runway with her head held high. As she made it to the end of the runway, she looked to the left; the man was gone. Even though she told herself she wasn’t going to let him rattle her nerves, she had to admit she was glad he had left. It meant she could concentrate on what was important. Her job.
Jada had two more wardrobe changes before the show came to an end. She did her final walk with all the models and then one final with the designer. When the applause had ceased, she was free to return to her dressing room. All the models went one way, and she was left to walk the long hall alone. She couldn’t help looking over her shoulder a few times, and she picked up her pace. She wasn’t about to tell David that she wished he had waited by the stage. Yet, deep in her gut, she knew she had pushed him away a little too hard. Maybe next time he can wait a bit closer.
David knew Peckham would recognize him, so he had no choice but to have one of the waiters do his dirty work for him. He had to time it just right. There’s only one thing David knew that would lure Peckham away from the side of that runway, and that was Jada.
It was all about timing. Jada had just left the runway for a wardrobe change, and David nudged the waiter to make his move now. If Jada returned to the runway before Peckham got the note and left his seat, he might know he was being set up. Instead, the waiter was able to pull it off and handed Peckham the note. Come on, asshole. Read the fucking thing. But Peckham could not take his eyes off the women who stopped and posed in front of him. The waiter was persistent though and didn’t leave Peckham’s side. The waiter tapped Peckham on the shoulder and pointed at the paper as though giving him the hint it was important. Good going, kid. The waiter left once Peckham started to unfold the note.
David had a hard time believing Peckham could resist the offer to meet Jada in her dressing room right now. Sure enough, David saw Peckham’s eyes widen with excitement, and a filthy-ass grin David wished he could smack off spread across Peckham’s face.
“Hold positions,” David said, knowing Bill and the team were on standby, ready to snag Peckham as soon as he left the auditorium. David could see Peckham’s leg start to bounce and shake as though he was getting too anxious to wait a moment longer.
“Jada’s ETA two minutes. He better move fast,” Bill said over the earpiece.
Shit. David knew Peckham was thinking about it, but if he didn’t move now, it’d be too late, and Jada would be back in his sight. David was tempted to change the game plan, walk up to Peckham, grab him by the throat, and haul his dumb ass out of there. That was going to bring some seriously unwanted attention, but if that was his only choice, he wasn’t opposed to doing it that way. Rafe knows I handle things less diplomatically than he’d like.
Peckham finally got up and headed toward the door. “On the move.”
“Roger,” Bill replied.
David had no doubt they’d apprehend Peckham and get him in the SUV as planned. Although David had promised Jada that when she finished he’d be waiting for her in the dressing room, it was one of the promises he wasn’t going to be able to keep.
“Package sealed and out for delivery,” Bill stated, referring to Peckham.
“Gabe, you got this?” David asked.
“I do. The rendezvous place is secure.”
David would’ve made a move on Peckham himself, and he would’ve been successful, but having backup right now ensured Peckham might make it out alive. I just want answers, and then I don’t give a shit what happens to him.
Everything was set, and he knew Jada was in good hands with some of Bill’s guys. David might not know them personally, but they were men of honor and would keep Jada safe at all costs. At least, until I can return. Each of them was highly trained in certain areas, but all had skill in defensive combat. Although that was not required in this instance, it eased his mind knowing some of the best had her covered.
That was why Bill was riding with Peckham. He had a certain knack for extracting information from infidels. David hoped his tactics would not be required to gain the truth from Peckham, but he was not opposed to using them. Hell, if Rafe and Renzo were there, they’d be doing the same shit. His brothers weren’t in the business of playing nice. They played to get the information required to save lives. The government had trained them but didn’t like that they were using their training without government control. Sometimes they forget we are all on the same side.
That’s why David needed to make sure the way they obtained information from Peckham wouldn’t compromise his prosecution later. They were not judge and jury, but they also weren’t going to let Peckham walk away to torment Jada or any other woman ever again. Time to be held accountable for your actions.
David had to exercise restraint even though he’d love to beat the shit out of Peckham. But as soon as Peckham’s injuries healed, he’d be back on the prowl for a new victim. It was very likely whatever physical altercation David and Peckham got into would only cause Peckham to intensify his abuse toward others. It was a sickness and one that only got worse. There were several ways to put an end to it, but only one that was legal. It was time for Peckham to face the criminal system and enjoy the inside of a prison cell. Long-term.
David was in constant contact with Bill. Gabe was recording everything for law enforcement. They knew they’d have to answer some questions themselves, because this was stepping outside the legal realm. They might be accused of being vigilantes, but that was not the case. They were hired to do a job, and as long as nothing happened to Peckham, none of them should be concerned about facing charges themselves. No need for us to mention that we took Peckham by force.
He had no idea how Gabe had found this place. Their rendezvous wasn’t far from Miami, but it looked as though it could’ve been hundreds of miles away. David had served many years overseas and this type of devastation wasn’t uncommon . . . in war zones. He’d seen the devastation on the news six months ago, but seeing it firsthand was surreal. The force of the hurricane winds, as well as the tidal surge, had washed most of this area away. A few buildings were half standing and others looked as though someone tried to start rebuilding before they were forced to give up. This wasn’t one of the affluent neighborhoods where it was a matter of filing a claim and having insurance pay. Most of these people lost everything: their homes, their belongings, and in some cases their lives. What was left behind had quickly become overgrown, and in many areas the water had not receded. He knew he wasn’t in the Everglades, but this looked more like marshland than a community neighborhood.
David wasn’t sure the limo would make it to the rendezvous point over roads with ruts so deep he swore they would break an axle. You might have given us a warning, Gabe. David fully anticipated having to get out and walk the rest of the way, but the driver finally turned down a sand-covered road before stopping in front of a rundown, abandoned gas station. It hadn’t fared any better than the homes they had passed. David had informed Gabe he wanted a location off the beaten path and this definitely fit that request. Maybe a little too well. The grass was overgrown and David was not looking forward to encountering any wildlife lingering in it. He’d faced men with guns aimed in his direction without even flinching but was not too fond of snakes, and this place looked like it could be crawling with them.
As they pulled around to the side, he saw the black SUV parked just out of view. Out in the middle of nowhere, there truly was no reason to hide the vehicle, but he appreciated the fact that Bill attempted to. If for some reason anyone chose to do a flying sweep over this area, the two vehicles would stand out amongst all this rubble, but he wasn’t concerned.
The limo pulled up on the side of the SUV and David made his way out. The driver stayed in the car with instructions to notify them if anyone approached. Gabe was also monitoring via satellite. They were covered from every angle. David was not concerned about Peckham having people who’d come looking for him. Everything Gabe had uncovered confirmed Peckham wasn’t only a slime ball, but he was also a loner. All they needed to do was get him talking, and Peckham would bag himself.
David opened the door to the garage of the station and paused while his eyes adjusted from the bright sunshine. All he could hear was whimpering. Dammit, Bill. You weren’t supposed to do anything until I got here.
As he stepped farther inside, he saw Peckham sitting with his hands tied behind his back and his head still covered. Bill and the others were standing there nonchalantly. “Status.”
Bill didn’t speak but raised his hand and waved him over to stand in front of Peckham. Bill pointed to the front of Peckham’s slacks. He’d pissed himself. David arched a brow in Bill’s direction.
Bill raised his hands letting David know he has been hands-off. That was a good thing, because there couldn’t be any marks on Peckham if they wanted this to be successful. However, David knew Bill had techniques to extract information in painful ways that would remain unnoticeable. Given how scared Peckham was, David didn’t believe those would be necessary.
Bill had a smirk on his face as he said, “Hope you know you’re getting a cleaning bill for the SUV.”
Bill’s humor was better than having to hear Peckham had been a whining little bitch the entire ride over. David had hoped Peckham would have some fight, so they’d have a reason to intimidate the shit out of him. I want a little payback on behalf of Jada, and you can’t give that to me can you, asshole?
The only thing David could do was reveal who he was and why he was there. He waved the others to stand behind Peckham and off to one side so their identities would remain anonymous. Then he made sure Gabe was recording both the audio and the video. If anyone was going down for what was about to take place, he’d risk no one but himself.
This interrogation was different from how they handled things when they were in other countries. They usually teetered between legal and not, but they normally dealt with scum-sucking bastards who had killed innocent people and couldn’t wait to do so again. People like that didn’t cower as they faced imminent death. It was their way of existence. They pretended to be anything other than what they were. Radicals. Terrorists. Yet they think their actions are what their higher power wants.
Dennis Peckham was neither. He was a sick individual whose only motivation was to feed his ego through cruel behavior. David couldn’t wrap his head around Peckham’s mentality. It wasn’t in his line of training or expertise. Renzo had called him on the ride over to make sure David understood he was on US soil, and they had to work within the legal system to obtain justice. But the system has failed these women before. It’s not going to fail Jada.
David reached over and pulled the black sack from Peckham’s head. He didn’t open his eyes and continued to hold his head down, as though he was afraid to look up and meet David’s gaze. You should be scared.
This wasn’t going to get them anywhere unless Peckham talked. David wanted to grab him by his hair and force him to look up, but then whatever confession they obtained would be under duress. So instead David dropped down to a knee, in a less intimidating position, and asked, “Do you know why you’re here?”
Peckham shook his head. Judging by his response he knew Peckham recognized him. “I was only looking. That’s all, only looking. I would never . . . never hurt Miss Hope.”
Yeah sure, you wouldn’t. Just like you never hurt those other women. David stood up, and as he hoped, Peckham raised his head as well. “I don’t believe you. You seem to show up everywhere Miss Hope does. I don’t believe in coincidences. So tell me, Dennis Peckham, what the fuck do you want with Miss Hope?” David tried to keep his tone calm, even though his fingers itched to clench into a fist and make contact with Peckham’s jaw.
“You . . . you don’t understand. You can’t. She’s so . . . beautiful.”
That was only one aspect of Jada, but her beauty should not cause her to become a victim. He could hear Gabe’s instructions over the earpiece as he cautioned on how to choose his next words. He couldn’t go on the attack. David needed to make sure Peckham said enough to hang himself, but not so much that it seemed coerced.
“Help me understand.” It was something David would never be able to do no matter how Peckham explained himself. Respect for women and children was deeply inbred in him. He never had so much as raised a hand to a woman, never mind actually striking one. Any man who does is a coward. David had summed Peckham up from the moment he’d asked Jada for a dance. Peckham hadn’t waited for her to agree and never gave her the opportunity to tell him no. There was a huge difference. Peckham used the fact that Jada was a classy lady to his advantage. He preyed on her because she was nice. From what Gabe had provided in the reports, all of Peckham’s so-called victims fit that bill.
“Women like her, they . . . like to flaunt their beauty and tease you. They look at you, and you know what they want.”
“And what is it they want?” David didn’t want to hear the gory details of what Peckham wanted to do to Jada. He wanted to permanently shut the fucking man up.
Peckham sat up, holding himself proudly. “A man to take control. They are tired of men who worship the ground they walk on, telling them how beautiful they are and treating them like they are gold. They want to hear the truth. What they are really on this earth for and trust me, it isn’t just to be looked at. Women like Jada want, no need, a man who is not afraid to take what he wants.”
David’s gut twisted in a knot because he knew what Peckham meant. But it couldn’t be left to interpretation.
“And you think you’re that man? The one Jada wants?”
“I know I am. She pretended like she didn’t want me. But when I held her during our brief dance, I could feel her desire for me.” Peckham glared at David and said, “But we were rudely interrupted. That won’t happen next time.”
You’re not going to see the light of day, never mind touch Jada again.
“And what were you going to do to Jada?” He was going to need details so the recordings could be handed over to the FBI. Because this was done in multiple states, jurisdiction was tricky.
“Make her mine for good.”
“And how do you do that?” David forced his voice to sound less confident. He needed Peckham to feel as though he was the alpha. Not in a million fucking years will you ever be my alpha.
Peckham looked at him as though he wasn’t sure he could share his savvy moves. David knew he needed to up his game.
“Dennis, you saw her. The way she dresses and walks, yet she doesn’t give me the time of day.”
Peckham laughed. “Why is there only one rooster in the henhouse? Is it because he’s the best looking?” David shook his head no, and Peckham smiled. “It’s because he’s the toughest. The one who will do anything to keep his hens in line.”
“And you have a lot of hens?”
“More than you can imagine. I make sure they know if they refuse me anything, I will scar them so badly no doctor will ever be able to make them beautiful again.”
Knowing Jada was on Peckham’s list infuriated him. Intention to do Jada harm was not enough to put this man behind bars. A restraining order wasn’t going to be enough either.
“David, you need to challenge Peckham. You have to call him out as though you believe he’s all talk and nothing more,” Gabe instructed over the earpiece.
David knew his job; Gabe had seen him in more difficult situations than this. But Gabe obviously was concerned that David might be too close to the situation to be effective. That sure as hell wasn’t the case. He cared what happened to Jada as a person, but that’s as far as it went. He would go to these lengths for anyone. But Gabe was right about what David’s next move needed to be.
“Are you telling me you’re that rooster? I don’t believe it.”
“That is why you will never have women the way I have. They do not respect you the way they do me.”
“Prove it. How do you make women respect you without them going to the police? One time I yelled at a woman and I spent the night inside of a cell.” If David was questioned by the police regarding that statement, he was able to back it up. The woman was a commanding officer in the Navy, and the cell was actually the brig on the ship that had been transporting them. And as far as yelling, he honestly used profanity in her presence.
Peckham had no problem trying to show David he was the man when it came to women. The more details he shared, the further Peckham dug his own grave. David listened to Peckham boast about not just smacking women around, but physically tying them down and torturing them into submission. Peckham was more dangerous than any of them had anticipated. How law enforcement hadn’t been able to identify him as a serial abuser was beyond any of them. Each time Peckham paused, David pretended to be in awe, and Peckham ate it up. The man couldn’t shut his mouth once he started talking. It was as though hearing his own voice turned him on. He listed names and places and every detail of what he had done to those women. And it was all caught on tape.
By the time David finished the interrogation, he was emotionally raw. He thought the people he had encountered overseas were the most evil. He’d been so fucking wrong. Peckham wasn’t just an abuser of women. He had actually choked a few to death. Gabe was listening and crosschecking names with unsolved cases in police databases, confirming names to David. There was no way Peckham had read or heard about these murders as some of the details he had provided were classified. You just sealed your fate.
“The FBI will be there shortly. I suggest you guys get out of there now,” Gabe advised through the earpiece.
Bill and his team could hear the conversation as well and nodded in agreement. They were no longer active duty military. As veterans, they were acting on their own, and it would be in everyone’s best interest to keep a low profile.
Bill tossed David the keys to the SUV and headed out the door with his team to the waiting Limo. David was the one who had already revealed himself to Peckham. It was best that the FBI believed he was the one who had brought Peckham to this location for questioning. With David’s background, they wouldn’t question whether or not he was capable of pulling this off alone. Although, everyone knew the FBI was observant and would notice two sets of tire tracks. But without Peckham to corroborate that anyone else was in this garage, he didn’t believe it would be an issue. The only thing the FBI was going to truly care about was the video backing up everything that had just transpired.
It would mean David wasn’t going to make it back to Jada right away. But the urgency was no longer there; Jada was safe. His services were no longer required. David had every intention of informing her personally, but that would have to wait. No matter how well they had documented everything, the FBI would have a few choice words for David, as was expected. And Gabe would have edited the recording to remove Jada’s name. They’d do whatever they could to cover their tracks so nothing would lead the FBI in Jada’s direction. It would appear as though David was simply trying to solve one of the murders, and he just happened to stumble upon Peckham.
Everything was on a need-to-know basis and David at no point doubted the loyalty of Bill and his team. They all wanted one thing right now. To make sure Peckham is put away for good.