CHAPTER 27
"Hello Leandra" The serpent like face of Asher Devan drawled, imitating the speech patterns of
the area where he was confined.
Beth wrapped both her arms around one of Adam's, resting her head against his shoulder as she
fought to stay calm.
"Or should I say …. Bethy-pie?" Devan began to laugh maniacally.
"Patty cake Patty cake baker's man … I caught you once I'll catch you again!" His laughter
increased as he taunted her from the screen.
Adam brought his free hand to cover one of hers that gripped his bicep so tightly. Looking down
into her face, he was checking to see how she was handling this so far … and to his surprise,
aside from the way she held on to him so fiercely, her features did not betray any emotion. Her
eyes were focused on the screen as she forced herself to take deep breaths and get through it.
She steeled herself much the same way she had when she'd been forced to see him day after
day in the courtroom.
"Did you miss me Leandra?" he teased. "Did you think I'd never find you all the way up there?
It isn't too cold for you is it?"
"This guy is seriously wacked." Richie commented, wishing he could reach through the screen
and rip his lungs out.
"Well SURPRISE BABY." Devan bellowed. "I'll be seeing you real soon … and in the meantime
… I've sent a friend to … keep you warm …" he started laughing again.
"Mitchell." Richie whispered
"Who is Mitchell?" Beth asked, turning to look at Richie. "I heard Duncan say that name when he
was talking to Joe … and now you?"
Duncan paused the video.
"Blake Mitchell … he's a man we are familiar with … and he's a friend of Devan's" Duncan told
her. "But don't worry Beth … we can handle him. He won't get to you."
"He was the man on the stairs wasn't he?" Beth looked between Amanda and Richie. They had
seen him. Both nodded that he was.
"My God." Beth covered her mouth as she whispered. "He was so close … "
Adam turned her to face him, holding her arms with both hands. "He won't get that close again."
He promised. "Trust me Beth … he won't get the chance to hurt you again."
"I do trust you Adam … but I don't know how you are going to protect me from this …" she
gestured toward the paused image of Devan.
"He's not working alone Beth." Duncan told her. "We're all in this with you … and we will stop
them." He started to video again.
"You've got some new friends Leandra." The image taunted. "I'm looking forward to meeting
them … and Leandra … they've got a secret … and they know you saw what you saw." he
started laughing again.
Beth looked up at Adam, seeing the muscle in the side of his neck twitch as he glared at the
screen. "What does he mean?" she asked, but he didn't reply as the tape continued.
"I've got to go now baby. But we'll get together real soon. Try not to miss me too much." He
grinned as the screen went blank.
"Adam?" Beth asked, reaching up to turn his face toward her with one hand as she continued to
hold his arm with the other. "What did he mean about the secret and seeing what I saw?" she
asked.
Adam looked over at Macleod who didn't appear to have a response yet either.
"It's nothing Beth." He said, trying to look sincere. "He's trying to make you more afraid … to
cause you to doubt who you can trust."
His response made sense, still … she couldn't help but think there was more. She looked across
to Amanda and Duncan and both seemed troubled by the statement … and she knew if she
turned to meet Richie's eyes … it would be the same.
Beth closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She knew there was something they weren't
saying, but hadn't she kept secrets as well? And really what choice did she have. She knew they
wanted to help her … Looking up she let out the breath she'd been holding. "I do trust you. I
trust you with my life. Whatever Devan says doesn't change that."
"Hello Leandra" The serpent like face of Asher Devan drawled, imitating the speech patterns of
the area where he was confined.
Beth wrapped both her arms around one of Adam's, resting her head against his shoulder as she
fought to stay calm.
"Or should I say …. Bethy-pie?" Devan began to laugh maniacally.
"Patty cake Patty cake baker's man … I caught you once I'll catch you again!" His laughter
increased as he taunted her from the screen.
Adam brought his free hand to cover one of hers that gripped his bicep so tightly. Looking down
into her face, he was checking to see how she was handling this so far … and to his surprise,
aside from the way she held on to him so fiercely, her features did not betray any emotion. Her
eyes were focused on the screen as she forced herself to take deep breaths and get through it.
She steeled herself much the same way she had when she'd been forced to see him day after
day in the courtroom.
"Did you miss me Leandra?" he teased. "Did you think I'd never find you all the way up there?
It isn't too cold for you is it?"
"This guy is seriously wacked." Richie commented, wishing he could reach through the screen
and rip his lungs out.
"Well SURPRISE BABY." Devan bellowed. "I'll be seeing you real soon … and in the meantime
… I've sent a friend to … keep you warm …" he started laughing again.
"Mitchell." Richie whispered
"Who is Mitchell?" Beth asked, turning to look at Richie. "I heard Duncan say that name when he
was talking to Joe … and now you?"
Duncan paused the video.
"Blake Mitchell … he's a man we are familiar with … and he's a friend of Devan's" Duncan told
her. "But don't worry Beth … we can handle him. He won't get to you."
"He was the man on the stairs wasn't he?" Beth looked between Amanda and Richie. They had
seen him. Both nodded that he was.
"My God." Beth covered her mouth as she whispered. "He was so close … "
Adam turned her to face him, holding her arms with both hands. "He won't get that close again."
He promised. "Trust me Beth … he won't get the chance to hurt you again."
"I do trust you Adam … but I don't know how you are going to protect me from this …" she
gestured toward the paused image of Devan.
"He's not working alone Beth." Duncan told her. "We're all in this with you … and we will stop
them." He started to video again.
"You've got some new friends Leandra." The image taunted. "I'm looking forward to meeting
them … and Leandra … they've got a secret … and they know you saw what you saw." he
started laughing again.
Beth looked up at Adam, seeing the muscle in the side of his neck twitch as he glared at the
screen. "What does he mean?" she asked, but he didn't reply as the tape continued.
"I've got to go now baby. But we'll get together real soon. Try not to miss me too much." He
grinned as the screen went blank.
"Adam?" Beth asked, reaching up to turn his face toward her with one hand as she continued to
hold his arm with the other. "What did he mean about the secret and seeing what I saw?" she
asked.
Adam looked over at Macleod who didn't appear to have a response yet either.
"It's nothing Beth." He said, trying to look sincere. "He's trying to make you more afraid … to
cause you to doubt who you can trust."
His response made sense, still … she couldn't help but think there was more. She looked across
to Amanda and Duncan and both seemed troubled by the statement … and she knew if she
turned to meet Richie's eyes … it would be the same.
Beth closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She knew there was something they weren't
saying, but hadn't she kept secrets as well? And really what choice did she have. She knew they
wanted to help her … Looking up she let out the breath she'd been holding. "I do trust you. I
trust you with my life. Whatever Devan says doesn't change that."