Page 34 of Unexpected Danger (Mountain Justice #2)

Nightmares were not an entirely foreign thing for Londyn. She’d had them a time or two in her life, especially after Dustin started stalking her. So why then would she think this was anything but a bad dream?

Blurred vision met her gaze, and she attempted to reach her bound hands toward her eyes. Londyn’s head throbbed, as did her back, her legs, and just about everywhere else on her body. Speaking of legs…

Her ankles were also bound by a rope.

The stench overwhelmed her, and she gagged, thankful that she was able to draw breath at all.

As she shook her head to awaken herself, the realization set in that she was not dreaming.

This was real life. She was somewhere in a small room, tucked against a wall near where a pile of dried feces was clumped in the corner.

A desk was shoved to one side, and an exorbitant amount of clutter covered the floor and rose alongside the walls.

A bird cage, newspapers, magazines, a hula-hoop, cardboard boxes, cassette tapes, dishes, moldy food, a dartboard, and more littered every available space except where she sat.

Fecal matter was smeared in several places.

Was she alone? Could she escape? Was there a way to remove the binding on her hands and feet?

Lord, please help me.

She scooted toward a door and pressed her ear against it. Where was Dustin? Where was Renee? Where on earth was she? Londyn was about to attempt to somehow turn the doorknob when she heard a knock.

“Yoo-hoo.”

Londyn scuttled away from the door and back against the wall. If she had the opportunity, she could kick Renee, even with bound feet.

The door opened, and Renee stood in the doorway with a cat in her arms and a large, dark brown boxer at her side. “How are you doing, Londyn?”

“Why are you doing this?”

Renee shrugged. “You should know why.”

Londyn’s temples throbbed. As if recovering from a concussion wasn’t enough, she’d suffered further head injuries. “I don’t know why.”

Renee whistled, and several dogs ran toward her. Several cats roamed throughout the room. “Do you still wonder why?”

“Yes. I don’t understand any of this.” Or any of Renee’s involvement. She had figured Renee to be an oddball, eccentric even, but a kidnapper? “Where’s Dustin?”

“Don’t worry about Dustin. He’ll be back later to visit you. But for now, I want you to know that you will enjoy living here.”

Londyn’s chest tightened. “What do you mean living here?”

Renee giggled, her laugh bordering on maniacal.

“You sure do ask a lot of questions.” She set the cat down, and it purred and walked over and rubbed against Londyn’s leg.

Londyn had never been fond of cats, especially since she was allergic to them.

Just as she figured, her eyes began to water, and she sneezed.

“Keep an eye on her for a minute, King.” Renee patted the boxer on the head and retreated to somewhere else in the house.

Two dogs perched beside Londyn, while King growled and bared his teeth. Londyn inched as close as she could against the wall. Would the boxer attack her?

Renee returned in a few minutes with two dog dishes in her hands. “I thought you might like something to eat since it’s about dinner time.”

Dinner time? How long had Londyn been here?

One of the dogs rested its paws on Renee’s thigh, and she swatted it away, nearly spilling the contents of one of the dishes.

“This is for Londyn. You’ll have your dinner soon.

” She ushered all the dogs, except King, from the room and balanced the dog dishes on Londyn’s lap.

“I hope you’re flexible so that you can bend down and eat these because Dustin says I can’t take the ropes off your hands or feet. ”

One of the dishes held several square crackers. The other appeared to be milk. A layer of pet hair floated on the surface of the milk, and Londyn retched, nausea just at the edge of her throat.

“As you know, I take in strays. Dogs others don’t want, cats living outside all alone, or even sometimes I have to rescue dogs when their owners aren’t looking.

” Renee emitted a shrill laugh. “As was the case for a couple of my newest rescues. They should never have been unleashed in the park.” She hiked up her shoulder.

“That’s what they get for not keeping their dogs leashed.

You’d be amazed at how the pets just came right to me.

For treats, of course. But if a dog isn’t with its owner, then it’s a stray.

Cats, too.” Renee counted on her fingers.

“I think I’m up to twenty-three altogether, including the rabbit living in the bathtub and the goat and horse outside. ”

Twenty-three animals? Twenty-one in this house? Londyn had no idea how big the house was or where all the animals would even stay. Were they being cared for? Neglected? Fed? Watered? What about the horse? Was it still there? Or the goat?

“Was Sesame even lost?” she asked.

“No. He’s been here all along, but it worked to get you to help me.”

Londyn inwardly groaned. She knew all about situational awareness, of not falling for ploys. And yet…

A pernicious grin crossed Renee’s face. “It’s an important job. I’ve rescued them all, and one time, I even had a pet goose. But you’re the first person I’ve rescued.”

It would do no good to tell Renee she didn’t need to be rescued. The woman patted Londyn on the head. “And you are a stray, Londyn. You don’t have a home.” She puckered her lips, blinked her eyes, and shook her head. “This will be your new home.”

Her new home? Goosebumps pricked her skin.

Londyn forced herself to not only digest all that Renee was saying, but also to attempt to fit some pieces together to determine where she was. If Renee truly had rescued a horse and goat, her house wasn’t within city limits.

“I would like to go home.”

Renee shook her head. “Dustin says I need to keep you here for a while. But don’t worry, you won’t be lonely.” Renee placed her hands on her wide hips. “I do have to tell you that if you do try to escape, King will have none of it.”

At the mention of the dog’s name, King bared his teeth.

Londyn fought the rise of panic. While she wasn’t typically afraid of dogs—and would easily consider herself a “dog person”—she wasn’t fond of mean canines.

“Now, do your best to eat up, and I’ll be back to check on you in a little while.” Much to Londyn’s relief, Renee gathered the three cats that tiptoed around the room and hauled them out before shutting the door. And at least she had taken King with her.

Londyn sneezed again and attempted to itch her eyes with her shoulder, but as she did so, milk in one of the dog dishes sloshed over the edge onto her pants.

Dare she even think about drinking the milk? What had Renee put in it? Cat dander in the liquid wouldn’t do Londyn any favors. She was so thirsty, likely dehydrated if she’d been here any length of time. But no, she wouldn’t chance consuming anything Renee offered.

If she thought Renee was psychotic, it would be even worse when and if Dustin arrived.

Lord, please, please help me.

She must have fallen asleep at some point. Something furry against her arm awakened her, and Londyn’s eyes fluttered open. Where was she? What was that pungent odor? Why couldn’t she move her arms?

A cat meowed and peered up at her as Londyn simultaneously sneezed. The cat zipped from her lap, and Londyn’s eyes watered and itched. She was completely congested. Yet, she couldn’t remove her hands from the restraints.

The door creaked open. “I see you’re awake. How was your nap?”

Renee crouched down beside Londyn.

Oh, yes. That’s where she was. Taken captive by a psychopathic animal hoarder.

“I’d be doing a lot better if you could please loosen these ropes around my wrists and ankles.”

“I’m sorry—well, not really sorry—but I can’t do that. Dustin is counting on me to follow his directions.” Renee’s eyes rolled into the back of her head, and she discharged a contented breath. “Did you know we are going to get married?”

Londyn wanted to tell Renee that whatever Dustin had promised was far from reality. He would no more marry Renee than any of the other women he’d likely proposed to. But she bit her tongue.

“He loves me, and I love him. Oh, how I love him.” Renee swooned. “He’s sweet, charming, and not to mention, hot.”

Dustin was anything but sweet and “hot”, although he was charming. The thought caused Londyn to recoil. He held many under his spell and had almost fooled Londyn as well.

Renee stood. “I’ve been so lonely until I met him.

” Her mouth twisted. “I’ll be right back.

Don’t go anywhere.” She emitted a high-pitched laugh and dashed from the room only to return a few seconds later with a thick magazine.

“Would you like to see the wedding dress I’ve chosen?

” Without waiting for Londyn to answer, Renee stooped beside Londyn, her back against a pile of boxes as she thumbed through the pages of the sizeable bridal magazine.

“Dustin says we make such a good team, and I know we’ll make a good team in marriage, too.

Who would have thought someone so handsome would be interested in someone like me? ”

Renee was clearly delusional.

The woman opened the magazine to a page that had been dog-eared and pointed to a picture of a model in a strapless form-fitting wedding gown with a lace bodice and a generous ruffled skirt with white flowers and pearl beads. “This is the one I have chosen. What do you think?”

Renee’s expectant gaze and actual belief that she would be Dustin’s bride sickened Londyn. But she would have to play along.

“It’s lovely.”