McAllister Justice Series Box Set

by Reily Garrett

  Gila’s blanket provided a buffer for her head against the window. If she could close her eyes for a bit, random possibilities would bump and slide through her relaxed consciousness and maybe find a temporary fit for a short-term plan. At least she was safe for the time being. It didn’t take long for sleep to drag her into a more hospitable world.

  Good fortune favored those with patience. Denny’s luck held. After stealing a vehicle and following Katt, he saw her turn off at a derelict motel declaring vacancies. He drove another quarter mile before doubling back, then waited twenty minutes before pulling in the drive. Parking close to the entrance would allow for a faster exit.

  Despite all the setbacks to his original plan, destiny shined on him once again. A little voice had told him to keep the phone used to contact Larry. Paranoia asserted he keep the battery in a different pocket. His old friend would’ve obtained access to equipment unavailable to civilians. Now, technology would play out in Denny’s favor as he drew his one-time friend to the secluded spot.

  As soon as he finished with the little snoop, he could leave and never look back. Everybody wanted him—the police, the PI, and Larry. Identification of Larry’s boss was a mystery that he’d soon solve, along with depositing damning evidence to clear his own name.

  The way Nugle had driven the car aroused his suspicions at first. Denny’s speedometer never got above forty-five. Following her had propelled his heartrate into triple digits, remaining there until he realized she was more likely meandering or lost.

  In the stolen car, he’d dared to close the distance until recognizing the significance of shaking shoulders and erratic navigation. What he’d thought of as drunken behavior turned out to be a heartbroken woman blubbering to an empty car. Small consolation that by the end of the day, she’d be out of her misery.

  Stubborn weeds flourished in the cracks of the entranceway’s winding asphalt. It seemed more of a path than a road, noted after taking in the overgrown shrubs and opportunistic saplings tucked in each bend. The sum total blocked his sight of the building. Their size declared years had passed since anyone tended the flowerbeds lining each curve. Not wanting to take a chance, he’d pulled his car as far off the road as he could without slipping into the ditch.

  With Mitch’s gun and phone in one pocket, and the cell’s battery in the other, he exited without making a sound and wound his way through the thick woods toward the building. Gnarled branches offered concealment but blocked his view on approach. A double take at finding the front lot empty of the PI’s Civic magnified his panic. If she’d remained alert enough to spot him tailing her, she could’ve ducked in the drive and doubled back while he’d driven ahead. Either way—his quarry wasn’t there.

  Maybe she’s trying to hide around back.

  He had nothing to lose and everything to gain, unless the McAllisters found one of them first. Rustling off to his left forced him to palm his gun.

  A moment of silence revealed the offensive rodent hopping to a nearby tree and scurrying upward, a flash of gray and white fur disappearing around the large trunk. Jesus. If the skittering of a squirrel unnerved him, he had no business trying to sell such a devastating weapon to domestic or foreign buyers.

  He proceeded forward with caution, knowing if his plan worked, he’d be free to leave with less prejudice. It wasn’t the original strategy, but life was what happened while one made plans.

  The moment her car came into view, he sighed his relief to the cool, early afternoon shadows. Even if he didn’t approach from downwind, he could get close enough to see her movements. Her head leaned against the closed window at a slight angle, propped by some type of cloth. She was probably asleep.

  His heart thundered in his ears despite the fact she was little more than a kid. She’d already demonstrated great resourcefulness with solid connections. So why was she out here, alone? The setup was too blatant to be a trap.

  He waited.

  It took three tries to get the damn battery back in the phone, his clumsy fingers dropping it in the blanket of dead leaves. Wet fingers made it more difficult to position the power source.

  A blue light and the company’s logo brightened the screen before he turned it to vibrate and snuck closer to the wood’s edge. Ten yards of clear space separated the obscurity of the trees and her vehicle.

  With no dog to announce his presence, she hadn’t stirred when he darted to the back of the vehicle, close enough to slide his phone under the trunk. It made the perfect beacon.

  Once back in the woods, he crouched down to wait. The McAllisters had proven themselves thorough, but Larry had much to gain, and had attempted to kill him on multiple occasions.

  If Larry and company killed the PI in frustration over not finding Denny, it would be one less stone on his conscience. As long as his one-time friend died in the end, the connection to the boss would be severed. Without backup, the PI was already dead; her heart just hadn’t yet stopped beating. If her actions did turn out to be part of a sting, Larry would be the one hung out to dry.

  Thundering heartbeats measured time where he imagined his scenario moving sideways in every possible manner. He wasn’t a spy. Time had revealed him to be little more than a greedy and lonely excuse for a man.

  Warming temperatures and lack of sleep led to him nodding off while sitting against a tree until some inner warning jerked him awake. Silent and still, he listened for the slide of metal against holster or the whoosh of air before a knife sliced his throat.

  In looking around, everything remained in place. Katt’s excuse for a vehicle sat in the same place with her still leaning against the window.

  The first sight of Larry poking his head around the far corner of the motel made him shudder. He hadn’t heard a car.

  A mixture of relief, fear, and excitement caused his fingers to shake and palms to sweat. He’d never considered himself a predator but couldn’t wait to extract revenge for Molly’s death.

  Furtive movements stood out with Larry’s black jacket and snips of blond hair poking from the skullcap which contrasted the weathered brick building. Forty yards of distance incurred small risk when he had a weapon trained on his enemy.

  His gait included a limp and he kept his left arm close to his side, as if protecting an injury. Small wonder if he’d tangled with someone who could give as well as he received.

  Halfway to the car, Larry froze and looked around as if sensing danger in the preternatural stillness. Beady green eyes scanned the woods without pausing on any one spot. When swinging his gaze to the motionless vehicle again, he hesitated, studying his quarry. A slight incline of his head detailed a possible sign of uncertainty.

  Denny held his breath and didn’t move.

  Seconds later, Larry holstered his gun then removed a cloth and bottle from his coat pocket. It made sense to take her elsewhere for interrogation and disposal since there was no way to know if anyone else tracked Denny’s phone. No doubt, he pondered the situation of her having Denys phone and was anxious to ask.

  He moved lightning fast in jerking the door open and latching onto Katt’s hair.

  Kathryn’s quick reflexes didn’t prevent Larry from yanking her from the vehicle and subduing her in short order. The abbreviated struggle ended with the PI slumped to the ground. Larry pocketed the drugged cloth.

  As if the girl weighed nothing, he shouldered his burden and started back the way he’d come.

  It didn’t matter that Denny had never killed a person without provocation. Today was just an extenuation of their previous encounter. “Stop right there, old friend.”

  Larry’s form turned rigid after he pivoted. “Ah, figures. Now I understand.”

  A sharp intake of breath didn’t equate defeat when his gaze landed on Denny’s gun. The small grimace flattening one side of his mouth acknowledged a setback, all subterfuge. This wasn’t a careless man, or a man who’d held his companion as he lay dying in the middle of a kitchen floor. No, this expression affirmed a wrinkle, temporary in na
ture that he intended to rectify with violence.

  “You won’t fool me twice.” Scrutiny of the perimeter confirmed no one else present. So far.

  “Didn’t think I could. However, I do have a ton of money waiting for you. That is what you want, isn’t it? That—and to get rid of this nuisance.” His nod indicated Katt. “I can make all your problems go away, even with the police.”

  “After you killed Molly?” Denny pictured his fiancée huddled in a chair, begging for her life.

  Larry started to speak, until Denny raised his gun.

  “Don’t. Just don’t.”

  “Now what? If you kill me, you lose millions.”

  “Put her back in the car, on the passenger’s side. Now.”

  “You want to keep her as a pet? Doesn’t sound like your MO.”

  “Not exactly.” Purposeful steps and keeping his body at a slight angle kept Larry in his direct line of sight. He maintained his prey’s pace from a safe distance.

  Nugle weighed nothing, either in pounds or in the grand scheme of things. Larry dumped her on the passenger seat then started to close the door.

  “Tie her hands first.”

  “It’s not like she’s going anywhere. Look at her swollen foot.”

  “Do it anyway. And don’t reach for your gun.”

  Every second waiting on the lot exposed Denny to a potential gunman should the former buddy have back up en route. His skin crawled with the need to leave.

  The girl groaned with the application of a zip tie to her wrists.

  “Hey. There’s no need to cause undue pain.” Just because the PI had to die didn’t mean she had to suffer first. It was one kindness he could offer. It wasn’t her fault she’d fallen into the hornet’s nest that had become his life.

  “Like you’re going to send her on a sunny vacation?”

  The moment Larry shoved the door closed and turned around, he raised his hands in surrender.

  “C’mon, Denny. We know the location of your hideout by the lake. If I hadn’t picked up your signal here, I would’ve gone there and waited for your return. How long do you think you’ll last without our help? We can get you out of the country and in high style before nightfall.”

  “Even though I don’t believe you, it doesn’t negate my curiosity. Explain how you found my place.”

  “You left pictures of a cabin at Molly’s house. She said she’d never been there but that you intended to take her for a long weekend. Turns out, she was telling the truth.” Larry shrugged a shoulder. “It’s amazing what we can do with satellite searches. You’ve been burning a lot of wood up there. You never could stand the cold.” With thumb and index finger, Larry pulled out an aerial photograph of the cabin. “See?”

  Emphasis on the word we instilled a new sense of panic. The insinuation of a new partner forced Denny’s gaze to skirt their perimeter.

  “You’ve forgotten how long we’ve known each other. It just took a bit of thinking. Your parents used to take you shack camping, as you called it. No indoor plumbing. From your prior descriptions, an extended search located the property.”

  With Larry out of action, it would take time for his contact to puzzle out the events of the day. Even if the unseen puppet master knew about the cabin, Denny intended to be gone before they could find it. He still had some time.

  Plan B evolved on the fly. He could take Katt to the cabin, dispose of her body there, and pick up his research notes. She deserved a decent burial. On the bright side, he could leave evidence to indicate Larry’s supporter.

  “C’mon, Denny. For old time’s sake. Let’s do this.”

  “Sure, let’s do it. For the benefit of the deal, tell me your boss’ name.”

  Larry smiled. “That’s the beauty of it all. Morry knew you’d found a way to weaponize the formula and is acquainted with certain personnel who will pay handsomely for it. He’s been keeping tabs on you for months.”

  “My boss? How did he know I’d contacted you? How’d he convince you both to turn against me?”

  “His intent wasn’t to kill you, not at first. That was Mitch’s way of getting a bigger slice of the pie. As far as him knowing to contact us—he’s had your office bugged since he found out what you’d discovered. Your late night work and paranoia piqued his interest. That’s how we knew to hook up at the right time. We all knew you’d spill the beans.” Larry dropped his hands and smiled. “You bragged about the three of us and our escapades in college. That plus the illegal taps, he’s known your intention from when you first started making plans.”

  “You didn’t have to kill Molly.” He wondered if that had been Mitch’s doing in the end.

  “Hey, she was a gold digger, just looking out for herself. She gave up everything she knew before we’d barely touched her. She wasn’t worthy of you, buddy.”

  “Well, this is for Molly, Carina, and the little PI, buddy.” Denny shot him twice in the chest and once in the head.

  Larry’s head snapped back, his crumple to the ground a final release. Even in death, the formidable aura associated with his presence neglected to dissipate. The small round hole in his forehead failed to gush with his life’s essence. It existed as an obscene mockery of Larry’s failed foresight. Sightless eyes screamed betrayal in the afterlife.

  Crimson pooled in widening irregular rings on his chest and followed gravity’s mandate to the ground where the larger stones diverted its path.

  In his mind, Denny saw Molly’s body, once so full of hope and energy, now lying cold in an underground casket. Survival of the fittest didn’t ensure happiness and contentment.

  The path he’d taken had been the right one but didn’t stop vomit from spewing as he turned to the side. Larry had been a friend, a companion, a colleague who’d shared idealistic goals a decade ago.

  After a moment’s contemplation, he decided to leave the cell used to call Kathryn on the dead body. He had another.

  “You won’t be needing these any longer.” Denny crouched to take Larry’s gun and phone from his pocket. Since the little PI had taken up with a cop, those would come in handy in creating a little confusion.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Matt paused in opening the truck’s door, his other hand holding his cell. Answer your phone, Lexi. The family’s resident hacker picked up on the first ring.

  In the back seat, Damien woofed his excitement, sensing his master’s anxiety. On the rubber mat by his paws, Katt’s shirt lay in a heap.

  “Hey, Lexi. I need you to look up the address to a Klearview Motel.” The information hadn’t come up in his search. “Might be they’ve gone out of business.”

  A quick frown to his younger brother added motivation to hustle into the passenger seat. Leaving Katt’s former home in the rearview cleared his thoughts to focus on priorities. “Katt knows enough to stay off the grid for a long time.” If he didn’t clear things up, he’d lose her, and the all-consuming need burning in his gut would destroy him. Instinct advised Katt had already found trouble.

  “I got it, but it’s been out of business for over a decade. The last name it carried was McDaniel Lodge. It’s about forty miles out—just off Tannerman Road. I’ll text you the directions.” Asymmetric clicks detailed Lexi’s keyboard activity. “Whoa. Hey, Matt. I just got a ping on Denny’s phone. It’s active.”

  “Good. Send the coordinates to Billy and Ethan. Let them run him to ground. I’m going after Katt.” Matt disconnected before Lexi could answer.

  “She found Denny? Good. We can end this freaking nightmare. It looks like you’re gonna have some explaining to do.” Luc’s smirk died quickly with his brother’s glare. “Just saying...”

  Matt swerved off the narrow road leading away from the small neighborhood. “Yeah. That’s not going to be easy since I’ve no idea why she left.”

  “I hope you weren’t giving her the ‘You’re too young for this kind of work’ speech.”

  “No. Not at all. Damn women are so emotional.”

  “Huh.
You’re just figuring that out? You’ve got a lot to learn.”

  The knot in his chest embroiled all emotions writhing with the need for understanding. Cold sweat beaded his forehead, and his clammy hands had to grip tight to hold the steering wheel. “Denny’s been very careful up till now. He’s either making a last call before running or using his cell as a beacon.”

  “Because Katt can track him, too. Shit. This isn’t looking good.”

  Luc grabbed the oh shit handle when the vehicle’s median wheels left the road. “Hey, I’m all for getting there quickly, but it would be nice to do it and stay corporeal. The ghost image doesn’t work for me.”

  “Sorry. It’s just that this kid is driving me insane.”

  “Short trip from what I’ve seen. You better rehearse what you’re going to say when you do find her since you don’t function well when your two are at odds.”

  “Hell. I have no idea. She’s a kid.”

  “No. If that were true, you wouldn’t have screwed her brains out. Maybe that’s the problem.”

  Without taking his eyes off the road, Matt snatched his brother’s collar. “Don’t ever disparage her name or character again.”

  “Well, I’m glad you’re not emotional. If you both were, just think of the mess that would make.” Luc hid his smile behind his hand as his voice trailed off. Shaking shoulders declared the ribbing had just begun.

  “Not now. We have work to do.”

  “I’m glad your mind is finally able to focus. Good.” With that, he studied the houses as they gave way to fields and orchards.

  “Who in the hell builds a motel in the middle of fucking nowhere?” Matt needed a target for the coil of anger and frustration driving him forward.

  “Current name?”

  “McDaniel Lodge. That’s why I couldn’t find it earlier.”

  “Hell, I know where that is. The old man used it as a lodge when he started taking hunting parties. After he died, his family tried to make a go of it as a country type bed and breakfast. It didn’t last long.”