Submerged

Rebecca was in the bathtub, fully clothed, while Walter Kingston held her head underwater with one hand. In his other hand, he held a straight blade.

Marcus would have taken a slap shot at the man’s head, but at the sound of footsteps, Kingston whipped around, his eyes locking on Marcus’s, the knife against the back of Rebecca’s neck.

“Let her go!” Marcus shouted. “It’s over, Mr. Kingston. The police are on their way.”

Rebecca’s head was still beneath the water.

“Let Rebecca go,” he said again, moving closer.

Kingston raised the blade. “Stay back! I don’t know who you are, but this isn’t your concern.” He yanked Rebecca’s head up, and she gulped for air. “It’s all her fault.”

Marcus lowered the hockey stick and held his other hand up to stall him. “Listen, Rebecca didn’t do anything other than marry your son.”

“Wesley?” The man sneered. “He’s no son of mine. He’s a weakling.”

“The police know everything. They’ll be here any second. If you step away from her and put the blade down, things won’t get any worse for you.”

“Worse? Tracey is dead. Wesley’s in jail. And that bastard Rufus is probably singing like a fucking canary.” Kingston’s lips thinned. “So, yeah, how could things possibly get worse?” He drew the straight blade underneath Rebecca’s chin and a thin line of blood appeared.

Marcus flinched. “Let Rebecca go, Walter. The kids need her.”

“It’s too late, Mr. Whoever-You-Are.”

“S-superhero,” Rebecca slurred.

Marcus frowned. Kingston must have drugged her first.

As Kingston’s head swiveled toward her, Marcus lunged forward, but Kingston must have heard him because the man twisted around and swiped at him with the knife. The blade slashed across Marcus’s arm, tearing through the fabric of his jacket and slicing through skin. Blood gushed from the wound.

Marcus growled a curse and batted the blade from the man’s hand. It skittered across the floor. Kingston let out a roar and rushed at Marcus, tackling him with startling agility. The hockey stick flew out of Marcus’s hand, and they rolled across the bathroom floor, each struggling to get the upper hand.

Marcus landed a punch to Kingston’s left cheek.

The man went down, but he didn’t stay down. Without warning, Kingston grabbed Marcus and pinned him to the floor.

Before Marcus realized what had happened, the man was on top of him, his hands wrapped around Marcus’s throat, squeezing.

Marcus gasped, and his vision became distorted. Oh God, Rebecca…

He blinked and saw movement by the bath tub.

Then he saw the hockey stick slice through the air. It made a sickening sound as it connected with the back of Kingston’s head. The man’s eyes rolled back and his mouth gaped as if he wanted to say something. Then he slumped forward, his face resting inches from Marcus’s.

Marcus scrambled out from beneath Kingston. Pressing two fingers to the man’s neck, he felt a faint pulse.

“Is he dead?” Rebecca said in a shaky voice.

“No.”

He heard her blow out a pent-up breath. Her shoulders slumped and he reached her as she collapsed on the bloody floor. Sweeping her up in his arms, he strode out of the bathroom and set her down on the bed.

“You think you’ll ever be done rescuing me?” she asked in a groggy voice.

“Probably not—if you can’t kick this drug habit you’ve got.” When she stared at him in confusion, he added, “That’s twice now that someone tried to drug you.” He grinned, then gathered her close and kissed her hair. “I thought you were dead.”

“Apparently, I’m not that easy to kill,” she slurred.

They heard shouts coming from the front of the house. The cavalry had arrived.

“Marcus?” someone yelled.

“John Zur,” Marcus said to Rebecca. Then he hollered, “We’re back here! Kingston is down.”

As footsteps thundered down the hall, Rebecca stared at the broken hockey stick on the floor. “I owe Colton a hockey stick.”

He grinned. “We’ll buy him all new gear.”

“You’re bleeding,” she said with a gasp.

He looked down at his arm. A thick trail of blood oozed down his sleeve and dripped onto the floor. “It’s a flesh wound. You aren’t afraid of a little blood, are you?”

When she shook her head, he said, “Good.” Then he hugged her.

Chapter Fifty

Edmonton, AB – Monday, June 17, 2013 – 5:28 PM

After Walter was taken into custody and the house was cleared, Rebecca changed into some warm clothes, then joined Detective Zur and Marcus at the kitchen table. Marcus had already made coffee, and she grabbed a mug and sipped it, fighting back the tears that simmered in her eyes.

“Thank God you didn’t finish the tea,” Marcus said, shaking his head slowly.

Still lightheaded, she glanced at him but said nothing. She knew how close she’d come to death. A few sips more and it would have been lights out. Walter would’ve succeeded in drowning her.

Detective Zur sat down across from her. “Your father-in-law will be going away for a long time, Mrs. Kingston.”

“Please. Call me Rebecca. That name…” She shivered.