“I didn’t recognize the voice.” Mitzie frowned. “Said the name was Blair and you were expecting the call. Hell, I couldn’t even tell if it was a man or a woman but figured you’d like the excuse to get Brad moving. Why? Is something wrong?”
Abby took another deep breath and decided to table the discussion for later. “No. We’re good.”
The next client arrived during their lunch hour. Pro bono work bolstered Abby’s spirits and reminded her why she went to law school. One day, she’d be able to accept or refuse any potential client.
Time and therapy had straightened the victim’s posture and strengthened her voice. Preparing an injured party for trial entailed as many approaches as there were victims. The DA prosecuting the case appreciated the help, thanking her personally with an email directed through her boss. She’d learned early on the benefits of networking.
“Lottie, you look like you’re feeling better.”
The young woman lifted her chin and offered the first genuine smile Abby could remember.
“I am. I found temporary housing on the outskirts of town, thanks to the shelter’s recommendation. I’m all moved in and even have a new job. Both are temporary but much better than what I had.” Dark circles no longer smudged her cheeks, nor did the weight of the world hunch her shoulders. The invisible cloud which previously shadowed her personality appeared a little lighter.
“Then I’d say both agree with you. What kind of job?” Working as a waitress had been fine but having to walk through a bad neighborhood at night asked for trouble.
“I’m a secretary for a construction firm.”
By the end of the hour, Abby had walked her client through the testimony, cueing her to keep answers as brief and direct as possible, never leaving an opening for opposing counsel to twist her words into an unintended meaning.
“I’m ready, Abby. I can do this. And when this is over in two weeks, I’ll finally be free.”
Parting advice spoken with sincerity applied to any victim. “Stay safe. Keep an eye on what’s going on around you.” Words I need to live by.
“Emilio wouldn’t dare come after me now, not with the court date so close. He thinks he can beat it without touching me. I saw him a month ago in the grocery store of all places. I know he’d followed me, trying his intimidation tactics you warned me could happen. I told him I had the best lawyers in the state on my side.”
“Did he do anything?”
“No. He never came within ten yards. He just gave me his evil grin. I’d never seen him in a coat and tie. It was his way of showing me he could fool a jury.”
“Hmm, that was before you moved out of the neighborhood, yes?”
“Yeah. I don’t think he knows where I am, now.”
The smile reaching Lottie’s eyes may have been tentative, but the way she carried herself spoke of confidence. She was on the road to recovery and determined to reach the end—in one piece, body and soul.
For the rest of the day, work kept Abby busy until shadows crept beyond her desk. Though she received no more phone calls, she wondered what form the next attack would take. There’s going to be another.
Chapter Six
“People are so gullible.” Time crept forward in layers of remembered instructions and small prayers. Before last month, Havoc had known little about electronic detonators, centralized blasting systems, or timing successive blast sequences. That specialty belonged to her sibling.
Having listened to an explosives expert go through the procedure of setting charges did not equate to firsthand experience. Nor did she enjoy a photographic or eidetic memory. Her intelligence stemmed more from the right side of her brain and offered talents in innovation, creativity, and intuitiveness.
Setting the current trap had been Daryl’s idea, yet his analytical brain had failed to see the entanglement that ended with his incarceration. Instead of dealing fatal blows to the McAllister brothers when they interfered, Daryl used them in unethical science experiments, implanting medical microchips in one and kidnapping another.
He hadn’t learned the most basic lesson; One should not play with their targets any more than play with their food. Daryl paid for his shortsightedness. His trial was still months away.
He thought to manipulate his naïve little sibling using pride, not realizing Havoc already had sufficient motivation to see him free. She wanted his knowledge to round out her skills for assassination.
Years ago, police arrested her stepfather after her mother decided parenting wasn’t worth the effort. Eighteen-year-old Daryl had stepped up to keep her out of the foster system, and out of school. Their oldest sibling had left home when he’d turned eighteen.
She’d eliminate witnesses scheduled to testify against him because she loved him in a twisted kind of way. As a child, his often-cruel teaching methods consisted of various procedures for measuring her pain tolerance. He’d never pushed further than she could endure and once a test was finished, he soothed her pain with a seduction no budding teenager could resist. She’d learned more ways to bring a man to his knees than his methods of assassination. No wonder she would excel where he’d failed.
He stood a good chance of getting a fatal needle if the attorney survived. That possibility motivated her to excel in the hopes that once free, Daryl would teach her everything she wanted to know.
He’d affectionately nicknamed her Havoc due to her enthusiasm and random expressions of devotion to her intended craft. Extreme promiscuity combined with her intuitive abilities resulted in varied MOs during crime sprees.
Analytical men couldn’t realize the intense high stemming from the fruits of her labors, nor could they understand the underlying motivation to reproduce a rival’s results using artistic flare instead of cold calculation. He should since he helped make me this way.
Mind games were her specialty.
Manipulating others had proven her unique talent over the years. Unlike her brother, she’d developed a knack for gaining a mark’s confidence and creating a shared purpose to guide their actions. It hadn’t proved difficult to get specific details of Abby’s plans. Certain electronic devices had proven very user-friendly. Timing would be the only variable.
The cave’s immense chamber equaled the perfect setting for the next thrill in the McAllister saga. It was deep enough underground to avoid affectation by changing outside temperatures and big enough to supply days’ worth of precious air. The addition of a few hibernating bats would ensure that once trapped, Abby and the detective wouldn’t get lonely or bored. Unfortunately, it only smelled of damp and musty earth. If there’d been more bats, the ammonia odor from their droppings would’ve added a nice touch.
Twice, she stopped to tuck her fingers under her armpits for a little warmth. Despite the extra attention paid to detail, she tripped again, blaming the uncomfortable jump boots. The deception with footwear would prove worth the time-consuming search for the exact style bearing the specific tread pattern she wanted to emulate.
Details were important.
Interconnectivity between the caves and caverns confirmed her suspicion of a slight chance for escape after the explosion. Since her brother wasn’t present to see the layout and place the charges, she’d have to settle for an educated guess. Such a job necessitated a thorough investigation of all factors involved. Time and education she didn’t have, except for enduring multiple tours with a specific guide and timing their movements.
To work at night entailed a small inconvenience, a tariff paid for missing the shot in New Zealand. Strong winds had moved the damn sphere at the crucial second. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be fumbling at night, fiddling with fuses, and securing the bodies of the explosives.
As long as she timed it correctly, the explosion itself wouldn’t kill. No, the focus of the exercise ensured the recipients would find terror, hopelessness, despair, and then finally, acceptance of their fate. If a few bystanders perished in the blast, well, collateral damage occurred in such endeavors.
As much as she wanted to wedge tiny cameras in specific niches at strategic angles to film the coming show, her imagination would have to serve as the source of anticipation. She couldn’t risk rescue personnel finding them or their signal boosters in the carnage to come. After the blast, she could film the show from a distance, watching the McAllister brothers swarm the cavern to find their dead sister.
The addition of emergency services as they worked, failed to rescue, then recovered the cooling bodies engendered warm fuzzies in her belly. The pictures would make nice mementos in her scrapbook of her time spent underground.
To slip a copy of the video through the prison system might prove tricky, but by now her brother would’ve bribed at least one guard who’d sneak in non-lethal contraband. The right to gloat belonged to every successful assassin, and she was ready to take her place.
It was unfortunate Royden remained glued to the bitch’s side nearly every waking moment. Separating the two, if only for a while, would increase the fear and terror factors exponentially if Abby were alone in the dark and riddled with panic.
With the last of her preparations completed, she adjusted her headlamp and took another musty breath. No natural skylights through the limestone cavern would mean nothing but darkness after the explosion.
The pictures she’d taken during her guided tour filled her home’s darkroom in preparation of the before-and-after display. Calcite formations lined with marble dotted the floor and stretched to unknown heights. Spurs of cave popcorn, formed from secondary deposits of calcite, gypsum, and aragonite deposits, added an unusual texture appealing to her artistic side. A small pang of regret for the coming destruction lasted only seconds.
Satisfaction lightened her steps in trekking up the incline to the cave’s mouth. Her brother’s ire also targeted the McAllister brothers, hence, they would each receive a copy of their sister walking into the cavern and rescue workers carrying her out in a body bag. They wouldn’t know it at the time, but the attorney’s demise equaled the initial kick-off to a campaign of terror.
If emergency personnel proved quicker than expected in setting up rescue operations, subsequent explosives ensured their mission ended with body retrieval, not rescue.
Chapter Seven
“Huh... I thought I might freak out at least a little when coming underground. The caverns have such tall ceilings; it almost feels like being outside except for the colored lights. I also expected it to be a lot darker.” Abby nudged Royden in the ribs before adding, “You’re multi-tasking again, cowboy.”
“I figured you’d like the adventure. Arranging for the private tour was a bonus.” His intention for suggesting this particular diversion ticked off several boxes on his to-do list.
The unique change in scenery gave her a new outlook on an old horror and allowed her to regain a foothold on her prior strength. This time, she wasn’t a prisoner. If fate offered a helping hand, he’d also secure her agreement to move to his home on a permanent basis.
“You’re helping me face my fears. The beauty of the caverns happens to be a bonus.” Abby turned in his arms to ask, “Why does the term spelunking sound erotic and twisted at the same time?”
“Because you have a somber imagination crowded by lust.” Royden dropped his gaze from the stalactite formation ahead to Abby’s face. Her eyes radiated excitement and hope without fear. His intention to shave away a small slice of anxiety and desensitize her to enclosed spaces appeared to be working.
“Oh, I promised Kaylee I’d take a few pics with my cell.” Abby extracted her cell from her purse and turned to frame a colorful shot.
“As a professional photographer, she’d appreciate a different point of view, but you’ll have to wait to send them since we lost cell reception soon after entering the caverns.”
Tiny LED diodes lit their path and emphasized breathtaking features along the way. Each new room of the massive cavern displayed a colorful array of formations at which to marvel. He used his phone to capture specific moments in time where the outside world melted away and the natural marvels surrounding them provided a backdrop fit for the particular question contained only by pure dint of will.
A secret smile played about her lips, promising a detailed description of her thoughts when their guide next wandered out of earshot. Life continued to thrust obstacles in her path, yet she faced them head-on and determined to not just survive, but also to triumph. He’d never encountered such a remarkable spirit.
The ranger who’d agreed to the private tour cleared her throat to gain their attention. “I was that way once, too. I’ll be just ahead in the next room taking a break. Catch up in a few, okay?” A wistful note mingled with amusement in her tone.
“Thanks. Loitering is a natural hazard when in this guy’s presence.” Abby nodded toward Royden.
When he and Abby first discussed caving, he’d contacted a friend whose sister ran tours through the convoluted underground network. It was Abby’s chance to experience nature as she loved it without the risk of her stalker approaching unseen. He’d arranged for security at both entrances. The three of them had the entire maze to themselves.
Despite the ever-present threat looming in her future, Abby smiled as her gaze traveled over the incredible rock formations. She ran her fingers along the ridges of a stalagmite’s mineral deposits.
Flexing a knee, he retrieved the velvet box from his jacket pocket. The ring inside signified all he wanted for her, for them.
When she turned, recognition widened her eyes and dropped her jaw. “Really?”
“Not the response I hoped for...” But something I can work with. He smiled at her obvious case of shocked senseless. Blue eyes gazed at him with more emotion than he’d ever seen. Not all of it was readable, which gave his pulse a kick-start into overdrive. Despite the cool temperature, sweat beaded his brow. “Abby, we’ve talked about this—”
“But you’re doing it now because you’re afraid for me.”
“No, I’d planned this for New Zealand, but the hospital wasn’t my idea of a romantic setting.”
Her face softened as she kneeled to see him eye to eye. “I love you more than anything in this world, cowboy, but I won’t obligate and make someone feel responsible for me when there’s a dickwhizzle on my trail. Ask me again after we catch the creep, and I’ll say yes.”
Her lips were butterfly soft against his own. In one kiss, he felt her desire rush to the fore. The same need slammed through his chest. He sighed, understanding her plight even though he didn’t agree with her reasoning. Before he could close the box, she tsked and removed the ring.
“If you don’t mind, I’ll hold onto this until the time is right.” Releasing the fastener of her necklace, she added the ring to the chain and replaced it around her neck. “For safe keeping. You tend to lose things.”
He never doubted the depth of her love, only the parameters for its expression. “You’re my world, Abs. I love you, and no dirtball with a gun is going to change that. I don’t think we should give him the power to dictate our actions.”
She brushed his unasked plea aside with her fingers sliding up his chest. “Did my brothers know your intentions?”
“Seriously? You think anyone could propose to a McAllister without the entire family knowing? I’ll bet as soon as I bought the ring, Lexi went first to Katt, then to Ethan. From there, it probably took all of thirty seconds for the rest of the clan to get the news.”
“Sounds about right for my family. This is so beautiful.”
“Designed just for you.” A grin hiked up one corner of his mouth. “I can imagine Lexi and Katt elbowing Ethan and Matt while pointing at the screen showing my bank statement.” He sighed, understanding the benefits of a tight-knit family, the extent of which he’d never enjoyed. His only sibling had died when they were teenagers.
“I haven’t gotten any different vibes from them, have you?”
“No, but I’m sure they saw it coming.”
Further discussion only served
to strengthen her resolve. She wouldn’t budge. Knowing her family dynamics and how she grew up, he couldn’t argue. It was her way of protecting someone she loved.
“Sweetheart, I—”
An explosion preceded the Earth’s deep rumble by less than a heartbeat. The sound of the blast reverberated in his chest like the whump whump of a helicopter’s blade.
Rock crashed down at the far end of the chamber as the lights flickered then went dark. Dust filling the air made it more difficult to breathe.
The ranger’s scream cut off abruptly as he imagined one exit to their room filled with debris. The depth of the darkness transcended anything he’d ever experienced and wondered if it equated to what blanketed Abby after her kidnapping.
Instinct had forced him to pull her down and cover her body with his own. Details of sounds and changes in pressure registered in the back of his mind, facts he’d sort later if such a thing existed.
They were in one of the largest and most open part of the caverns, midway through the tour. They also inhabited the deepest section, which meant more time before emergency personnel could reach them. They’d have to follow specific protocols to ensure their own safety.
Unlike the intentional roof fall methods employed to control surface subsidence during mining operations, the blast preceding this disaster signaled the intent of taking lives. The large chamber’s partial collapse ensured they couldn’t reach the ranger. He prayed the path back to the surface remained clear.
“Royden?” Abby coughed and struggled to disentangle their limbs. “Damn. No lights. I can’t see a fucking thing.”
“Abby. You okay?” Royden pulled her to sit in his lap. Another near miss and his heart would give out.
“Yeah. Fine. We have to get to the ranger.” Pushing to her feet, she edged away from him.
He grasped in the darkness before she outdistanced his reach. “No, Abs. There’s no way to move the wreckage. Even if we could, we don’t know how these tunnels interconnect, so we can’t search for her. She’s smart enough to keep moving.” Getting Abby to safety remained the top priority. “She knows these tunnels like the back of her hand and that we’re on the exit side of the damage. The best we can do is get help from those that know how to navigate this labyrinthine system.”
McAllister Justice Series Box Set Page 31
