“Laredo, pronounced La-ray-do, is fine. He landed a new job in southern California. He’s leaving in a few weeks.” Tightness at the corners of her mouth and eyes reflected the sadness within.
“I’m surprised you accepted this gig instead of spending some time with your BFF.”
“I have to work in order to eat.”
“You could always get a real job. One that doesn’t put you in the line of fire, get you kidnapped, that sort of thing.”
Setting her hands on hips, she huffed out a sigh. “I have a real job, and I’m getting good at it… kinda. I’m gonna be the best there is one day.”
“Spoken like a true type A.”
The fact existed she was good at what she chose to do, yet inexperience proved a devious motherfucker in any job description. She’d decided on a profession which could end her life before she’d learned the worst of the pitfalls.
Chapter Three
Denny fumbled with the handle of the Victorian water pump as pure mountain water pulled from deep underground sloshed into the collection pail situated between two clumps of grass. The large spider climbing up the outside depicted one of the things he hated most about camping, which he defined as any lodging that lacked indoor plumbing.
Molly would insist on setting the spider safely away instead of smashing it into the ground. It was one of the things he loved about her. What she lacked in brains, she more than compensated with beauty and compassion.
Where are you, Molly? In their initial scheme, they’d crafted a way to speak in code, designed in the spirit of a game. He hadn’t called her directly since pleading with her to leave the hospital mid-shift. If she were able, she would have called.
Midday sun overhead avoided filtration through the leafy canopy yet highlighted the once treasured retreat in the small clearing. Memory of the small patch of earth in the back, cleared and turned for a garden, brought forth bittersweet recollections of years gone by.
To understand why his parents had loved the secluded cabin did not engender warm fuzzies for rustic life. He preferred to not see his dinner swimming or flailing around in a trap. If not for the tacky shelter and basic survival skills, he’d sit huddled in his car, cold and jumping at every small noise.
Douglas firs, hemlocks, and red alders blocked his view of the valley while insulating him from simple detection. His maternal grandmother had selected the present spot for the cabin prior to GPS, GSM, or any other means of locating a target had become available. Aside from the invisibility perk, the setting did offer a serenity which promoted calm thoughts. Balance in nature, in life.
Before making the steep hike, he’d secured enough provisions to ensure time for weighing his options. Larry couldn’t know there was no other potential client, and if he’d promised a buyer the data, failure to produce it might engender panic. With stakes high, each passing day would escalate frustration. Espionage of any flavor incurred certain risks.
Instead of answering Larry’s prior text message, he’d copied the number into a burner phone and tossed the original in a dumpster along Portland’s Spring Street. A small paranoia went a long way.
The phone used to contact the little PI sat on the kitchen’s wooden countertop, disassembled. It hadn’t taken much to add the right touch of concern to his voice to elicit her cooperation while assuring himself the kid was safe by giving skewed physical details.
If the situation went to hell, he could bring her forth as a witness. As long as Mitch’s body didn’t surface. He hadn’t intended for things to go so far off track.
Splashes of sunlight warmed his face while he carried the bucket across the front porch and shuffled back inside. Old-fashioned wasn’t pretty or convenient, but it worked.
Worry over Molly’s safety hunched his shoulders with guilt as he sat at the weathered table. She was stubborn to a fault. If she’d failed to take sanctuary with a friend, Larry would use his twisted skillset to extract information she didn’t possess, and in a way that would leave her regretting they’d ever met, at least for the brief time before death claimed her body.
The diamond he’d put on her finger marked her as easy prey. He should’ve waited until after making the big transaction that would free them from the humdrum of current life, not willing to risk his life over it. If she’d refused to run, that was on her.
With summer winding down, he could hide in the mountains and evade his pursuers for months, long enough to sell the weapon he’d developed. The defensive lie about having a backup plan might give him the needed leverage to seal the original deal if he could be smarter about the exchange.
This spy shit is for the birds. He couldn’t sit in the cabin and bear the guilt. Along the west side of the porch was one of two places on the property where his phone got spotty reception. His thumb hovered over the contacts button, the mental vacillation inducing a headache behind his right eye. If he didn’t call her, he wouldn’t know. A slight touch initiated a connection, but a male voice answered on the first ring.
“Yo, Denny boy. I knew you’d call.”
“Why, Larry? We’ve known each other since grade school.” The plan he’d thought foolproof turned out to be a fool’s errand.
“Hey. It wasn’t my idea. That was all Mitch.”
“If you think I’m gonna meet with you again, you’re wrong.”
“You don’t have to meet me, but if you want Molly here to see the next sunrise, you’ll hand over the prize. At least... I think she’ll last that long.”
In the background, the muffled scream of the woman who’d helped concoct the original plan echoed.
“Bastard! She has nothing to do with this. You know that.”
“Ah, but she can end it. By the way, since Mitch is worm fodder, we’re free to make another deal. One I promise to uphold.” The former friend paused to let that sink in.
“Wire the money to my account. I’ll text you the number. After that, I’ll send you what you want.”
“No. Since I have to dispose of a body—maybe two—let’s just say my time costs money. I’ll pay you three quarters of the original price.”
“What the hell?”
“Let’s revisit our math. If I have two bodies to bury, you’ll only get half of the original deal.”
Short grating sounds, like chair legs scraping against hard wood, preceded the sound of flesh striking flesh.
“I never thought you’d go for the feisty type, my friend.”
“I’m not your friend. But if you hurt her, I will have you hunted down.”
A slight pause, then a rich, deep laugh followed. “Good luck with that, Denny boy. I’ll give you till the morrow to come to your senses. Call me when you’re ready to make a deal. Meanwhile, I think I’ll enjoy a bit of sexercise and a relaxing afternoon.”
The phone disconnected amid Molly’s muffled wail, inducing images no sane person could block.
What started as a transaction between known associates had now morphed into a tragic nightmare where reality shifted under his feet. The men he once knew had changed more than he’d suspected. Since Molly was a wildcard with no direct stakes in the macabre game, Larry would eliminate her for spite.
He’d lost control of the situation from the onset. The fact Molly helped hatch the plan didn’t assuage his guilt. Logical thinking entailed cutting his losses, finding another buyer, and not looking back. No one else should die because of his greed.
It had seemed like such a simple, harmless plan at the time. He was the one who made the discovery and nurtured the side project to its conclusion. If he hadn’t, someone else would’ve perfected the technology at some point. Why shouldn’t he help determine who would be the front-runner in its usage?
Larry hadn’t directly threatened to frame Denny for Mitch’s murder, but somewhere in the weasel’s brain, the thought would occur. Nothing linked him to either man in recent years. He’d made the call from a disposable phone, and their meeting occurred away from prying eyes. He’d since dropped off the grid
. Even Molly didn’t know the cabin’s location.
Thanks to an overwhelming set of nerves, the composite sketch he’d overseen didn’t come close to either Mitch or Larry. Any connection between himself and Mitch could put his picture on the cops’ bulletin board. If the police discovered what he’d created, they’d bump his status up to federal scrutiny.
To add to his misery, he’d been so unsettled under the scrutiny of the McAllister detective, he’d forgotten to retrieve his jacket. In the event Mitch turned up as a murder victim, that material would serve as a gateway to a lethal injection. He had to retrieve or destroy the evidence. A nonchalant call might get it returned but also entailed risk of exposure to her cop friend.
She’ll be a target, same as Molly. Larry would turn over every stone to find his prey. If his contacts followed police investigations, they would find Katt.
In the end, sticking his neck out to warn a stranger wasn’t worth the risk.
Fear kept him in place. From his first conversation in setting up the meeting, he knew Katt was young and inexperienced. It wasn’t his fault if she failed to protect herself. Even so, his conscience wouldn’t allow him to walk away. A vague phone call would suffice.
Chapter Four
So far, Katt’s time at Sunrise Solar was as fruitless as it was frustrating. No one wanted to speak with her, always referring her to the CEO.
Dr. Morry Saunders leaned back in his cushioned executive chair and laced his fingers behind his head. “I haven’t been able to get in touch with Denny. Do you have a way to contact him?” Evening shadows danced through the floor-to-ceiling windows behind him.
“No, as I said on the phone, I was supposed to meet him here to discuss a surprise for his fiancée. When I called this afternoon, that’s when I was transferred to you.” She knew she didn’t look like a wedding planner.
In his abbreviated conversation earlier, her client had pulled the plug on the case with the explanation that all was a misunderstanding. However, the words didn’t sync with the inconsistencies of pitch and tone in his voice. He’d called from a cell she couldn’t trace. The fact he didn’t want a partial refund concerned her less than his assurances that he was okay.
She’d worked three days.
“He took time off so abruptly, I’m concerned. He isn’t just my employee, he’s a friend.” Male pattern baldness left a ring of gray hair that lent Morry a certain comical appearance until one noticed the abject directness of his stare.
A by-product of extreme intelligence?
The large desk would fill half of Katt’s spare bedroom, which doubled as her workspace. Spearheading a project of this nature warranted a large corner office overlooking the hillside. Check.
“He was fine the last time we met and discussed the wedding venues.” Picking an invisible piece of lint from her jeans allowed her to break eye contact.
“When was that?”
A reasonable question. Innate mistrust earned from prior investigations lifted one shoulder in a careless shrug. “Last week.”
His furrowed brow deepened, as if sorting out a puzzle. “Well, it was rather sudden. I hope he realizes that if he needs something, he only needs to call.”
If he’d noticed her pink stripe among black curls she’d tried to conceal in a sloppy twist, he didn’t stare or remark on it. The man appeared to be above board in his answers and obvious concern.
During the course of her career, she’d assumed many roles. The concept of wedding planner amused her even as she wondered why anyone would go to such extravagant expense and lengths for a few hours of enjoyment.
“Have you spoken with Molly, his fiancée?”
“No. Not yet. He wanted to plan something special for her, but said he’d discuss the details in person. Hence, our meeting today.”
“Excuse me, Morry.” The trim assistant who’d greeted Katt on arrival poked her head around the door left ajar. “If there’s nothing else you need today...”
“Oh, Tam, I’m sorry, dear. Yes, it’s late. Go home. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
A bright smile graced her face. “Thanks, Morry. See you in the morning.”
Denny’s boss stood the same time as Katt. Despite there being only herself and the modern day Lurch in the room, she couldn’t shake a sense of foreboding. The man voiced nothing but praise for his coworker, personally and professionally.
“Speaking of going, I have an appointment to get to, another couple dreaming of their perfect day.” Careful of her nonverbal, she looked him straight in the eye and smiled.
“Call me Morry, please. If you’ll give me your number, I can at least call you when he returns.” Tiny lines creased the corner of his eyes and mouth, yet the sentiment he obviously tried to portray missed the mark.
“That’s okay. He’ll call me when he gets back. I appreciate you taking the time to see me. I’ll let him know you’re concerned when I see him.” With Gila hidden inside her jacket, she couldn’t stay much longer when his restlessness might be detected.
The outer office, empty now, led to a short hallway where dim lighting signaled the end of the day. Most of the employees had left, with few remaining cars in the parking lot, as seen through the floor to ceiling glass by the elevator. No doubt, security worked around the clock.
She wasn’t quite sure what she’d expected from the meeting. The CEO was direct in his concern and came to the point without delay. He’s busy. Yet, he still took the time to inquire about a member of his team.
Denny had struck her as very private. Hoping for a lead or further insight into his character from his boss had equaled wasted time. She’d hoped to catch Morry earlier in the day but understood work came first. Concern over his friend brought to mind the McAllisters. Family.
At the end of the hall, two women smiled just as the elevator doors lumbered shut. It amazed her how fast the building emptied. She was headed for the stairs when Morry called out.
“Hold on, Kathryn, and I’ll walk you down.”
“Actually, I’ve had my cardio for the day. I think I’ll take the elevator.” It wasn’t that she minded the company. Gila had changed his position and probably wanted to curl around her shoulders. She’d endured enough censure about the ferret, hence turned away from the exit sign.
“I’ll walk her out, Dr. Saunders.” A weasel voice matched the sly expression on the newcomer’s face.
Taller than average, dirty blond hair, and casual clothes blended with indistinct features and would’ve made the man indistinguishable if not for the lazy eye.
She hadn’t heard him exit from a nearby office, nor had she seen him approach, yet he’d appeared, silent and shrewd behind her.
“Thanks.” Dr. Saunders inclined his head as if trying to remember the face before waving. The stairway door shut behind him with a solid thunk, like a toll yet to be paid.
Sourness in her gut suggested she’d overstayed her welcome, if only by seconds. The third floor lobby turned tomb quiet after Saunders left. A weak smile angled the corners of her mouth.
“After you, miss.” Sinister ambiance radiated from him in a way that lacked definition.
She lived and worked in darkness and rarely found reason to complain, yet an ominous chill settled around her spine. Her sixth sense screamed inside her skull.
The cab seemed smaller than when she’d ridden it up. A surreptitious glance revealed her unwanted companion studied her without hesitation.
His gaze slithered to her feet before rising to rest on her chest. Its bearing presented as a weight constricting her rib cage. Defiance refused to let her slip out and take the stairs.
The far wall bore her weight as she toyed with the pass attached to her jacket, waiting for the stranger to saunter inside. The day shift security at the front desk would know she hadn’t left. Even if Saunders and her unwanted companion were the last people in the facility, the guard shouldn’t leave until the building emptied.
Too late, she realized the control panel was on the opposit
e side of the small confines. Instead of closing the distance to the stranger sharing her ride, she offered a lazy smile. “Push L for me, please?”
She knew before the doors closed—trouble approached with lightning speed. Sensing it was her superpower, delayed on occasion. After the doors closed and the cab started down, he pulled the stop knob. No alarm sounded.
Shit. Her pulse pounded in her ears as she straightened, balancing her weight over slightly bent knees. Turning sideways presented a smaller target as cold fingers squeezing her spine muted her reflexes.
“Now that I have your attention, answer me one question and I’ll make this painless.”
“Who the fuck are you?” Inside her jacket, Gila squirmed. Anxiety was contagious. She couldn’t spare the time to calm him.
A predator’s stalk closed the distance before he reached out to grab her by the throat. The malicious grin exposing a large dimple in his right cheek contrasted narrowed eyes and the quiet snort. “I’m the one who’s gonna give you a lesson on how to properly use that mouth.”
The confined space put her at a great disadvantage, both in size and strength. Raising her right arm to knock his hand away, she stepped forward to place herself within knee’s reach.
Sensing her move, he twisted to take the blow on his thigh. The deep chuckle chilled her to the bone.
“Not my first rodeo, bitch.” His other hand grabbed a handful of hair and bent her head back. Forced to throw her arms out to maintain balance, she bit back a scream as he leaned into her. His left hand unerringly found her breast and squeezed.
Sudden hissing and chattering signaled a new combatant. Gila clawed her shirt to get out.
“Motherfucker. What...?”
The ferret executed his own form of attack. In the next heartbeat, he’d climbed up and latched onto the hand that dared to squeeze his tail.
Taking advantage of the split-second in time, Katt punched her assailant’s neck.
His immediate response entailed backing up and using both hands as a cage around his windpipe.
McAllister Justice Series Box Set Page 4
