sitting in a car with her back in that condition for four days? She’s the tenant who rented the cabin for the next year.”
“I thought your college friend Ben rented the cabin for a friend of his.”
“She’s the friend. ‘Client’ might be a better term. Apparently, that’s what she pays him to do, find her safe places to hide out. For the last two years, that’s what he’s been doing. I’m about ready to lose it, I want to punch something.”
Tonight the dam had broken and Jack’s emotions were ready to explode, despite his ruthless struggle to contain them. If they slipped the leash, Jack could do some serious damage. Thankfully, he wasn’t Jack’s target.
“Someone’s been beating her up for the last two years?” Caleb asked to keep Jack talking.
“No. She apparently divorced some jackass and hid from him afterwards. Over the last two years, he’s found her multiple times. This, apparently, was the worst one, according to Ben. For God’s sake! She takes pictures of herself and sends them to Ben, so he can keep a record. Why hasn’t anyone stopped this guy?”
Caleb didn’t know the answer. He didn’t understand what drove someone to torture another person, especially a woman. He’d seen a lot in the military, traveling to other countries where women were treated as second- or even third-class citizens with few rights. He just didn’t understand what drove a man to hurt a woman simply because he could.
Jack threw himself into a chair and let out a ragged breath. Defeated, he said, “I fixed all her wounds, but I can’t get to the person who hurt her.” Unclenching his fists, he took his cell phone out of his shirt pocket and dialed Ben’s number.
“Hello.”
“Ben. Who did this to her?”
“Jack, I’ve been waiting for your call back. How is she? Is she better? Did you bandage her up?”
“Who did this to her?” Holding the phone so tight his fingers ached, he mentally counted to ten and reminded himself Ben wasn’t the enemy.
“I told you, her ex.”
“I want his name.”
“I can’t give you his name. She won’t let me. If you want to know, ask her, or figure it out on your own.”
“Tell me his name.”
“I’m Jenna’s attorney. I can’t give you that information. As much as I want to help, Jenna is my client, and she wants her privacy—and especially her name—protected. Ask her. If you’ve gained her trust at all, she just might tell you. I’ll tell you this though, he’s very rich and powerful. That’s how he’s gotten away with this for so long.”
Ben sighed and chose his words carefully. “I sent her to you, and you deserve to know what you’re up against. I’ll break this confidence. You obviously already know she’s being abused, so I don’t think it matters if I give you some of the details.
“The first four times Jenna tried to have him arrested, he paid off people and the evidence disappeared. He had some people visit the hospital staff and convince them, in not-so-nice ways, Jenna had never been there. Any pictures, records, or medical evidence disappeared, destroyed. That’s why she sends the photos to me. She doesn’t involve anyone in this because she doesn’t want anyone else to get hurt.
“She had a bodyguard, once. He turned up dead one morning in the pool at one of her hiding spots. Accidental drowning. Yeah, right, he’d been on his high school’s swim team for four years. Two days after the drowning, her ex grabbed her and did some serious damage to her that time, furious she’d put someone between them.
“He switches between trying to romance her back into his life with notes and flowers and gifts and threatening her, smacking her around when she doesn’t do what he wants. It’s a game. His game. And he makes her play. She managed to hide for five months this time. That’s the longest he’s ever left her alone.”
“I think I’m going to be sick.” The story and the whisky made his stomach roll.
“I can’t do this anymore, Jack. I can’t stand by and do nothing to help her. She won’t even come see me for fear he’ll do something to me. We’ve managed to keep a lot of secrets, but he finds out more than we can hide. I didn’t want to involve you, Jack, but you’re my last hope. If you can’t help her, I don’t think anyone can. She’ll have to keep running for the rest of her life. I’m convinced he’ll