McAllister Justice Series Box Set

by Reily Garrett

  “There’s something sticking out at the top—some kind of... hose?” Royden held a vague awareness of the shepherd barking at the site and digging beside him. His enthusiastic rumbles marked the occupant’s presence.

  Matt and Billy each took position on the other side of the oblong patch of freshly dug earth.

  “Abby.” With no shovel, they cupped their hands to push mounds of freshly turned soil aside. “Oh, fuck. The killer put a hose in there to supply oxygen, then filled it with something and clamped the top shut.” Royden’s bellow startled the shepherd, who paused before continuing to dig. “Here, start here. This tube is probably just above her face.” Royden took precious seconds to unclamp the tubing and force the obstruction clear. “She’ll get a little bit of air.”

  Matt joined him, his harsh breath filling the atmosphere. “Jesus, no. Please, no.”

  Eternity passed with each scoop in removing the barrier. Three men continued to yell Abby’s name, pausing occasionally to listen for a response.

  “Carrigan wouldn’t kill her then give her air. He’d want her to suffer. She’s still alive.” Royden’s desperation blocked all other thought.

  “Agreed, but how long has she been in there? How big is the space? Is she injured?”

  Unadulterated rage filled Royden’s mind. “I will kill the prick. I will hunt down whoever he sent and kill him.”

  Matt remained silent, using his effort to move dirt.

  Something solid scraped Royden’s fingers with the next handful of soil removed. “Here. We’ve got it. It’s not very deep.”

  “Abby!” Matt’s wild excavating matched the panic in his voice. “Remove the rest to the edge so we can get the top off.”

  Frantic scraping led to bloody hands but finally cleared the top of the coffin. “Help me pry it off. It doesn’t look attached that I can see... Abby!”

  A squeak of wood on wood and the top opened.

  The site greeting his eyes scalded Royden’s thoughts. Abby lay inside, dirt smudging her closed eyelids and cheeks. Blood crusted her hair behind her ear. Her fingers held the phone which sent the last message.

  Slight breath caressed the fingers he placed above her nose. “She’s breathing. There’s blood, but not a lot of it.”

  Matt checked her pulse. “Fast but regular.”

  “Help me get her out.” With Matt’s help, Royden lifted his precious bundle into his arms but couldn’t relinquish her.

  Sitting back on his haunches, he settled her in his lap. With a light touch, he caressed her cheek, her lips, then her throat. “Sweetheart? It’s over now. You’re safe. Please, open your eyes.”

  A low groan let him know she swam from the depth of her latest nightmare. “Cowboy? That bitch hit me in the head.”

  Royden gently probed Abby’s skull. “Yeah, you have a lump back here. Looks like it clotted up pretty much before...” He couldn’t force himself to say more.

  “Cowboy?”

  “Yes, sweetheart.”

  “Let’s get married.”

  “Tomorrow is good for me. How about you?”

  “How about a real wedding?”

  “I’ll settle for a ceremony, any kind you want. But a minister is going to marry us tomorrow, in our home.”

  “We’ll argue about that tonight.”

  “Looking forward to it.”

  As if just realizing the full reality of her dilemma, she met his gaze with moisture spilling out the corners of her eyes. “Trooper Fadden—”

  “Was still breathing when we arrived.” Matt, quiet until now, had knelt beside them. With awe in his voice, he continued, “You left us a trail.”

  “You were the one who taught us as kids, remember?”

  “Yeah. Who was it, Abby?”

  “Carrigan’s half-sister.”

  “Hell. How the hell did we miss that connection?” Royden continued to pet her hair and nuzzle her temple.

  “Because her parents never married, and Oregon doesn’t acknowledge common-law marriage.”

  “Son of a bitch. We’ll get her now.”

  “Lottie?” Confusion knitted Abby’s brow.

  Royden shook his head, his heart heavy for Abby’s loss. “We’re gonna get you out of here and to the hospital.” Royden stood with Matt’s assistance.

  Carrying his heart’s owner entailed little effort while Matt coordinated efforts over the phone. Thick brush and rough terrain slowed their progress.

  Though they now put a face to the enemy, they still had to find her. “We can keep Abby’s survival a secret for a while if we avoid the ER.” Billy helped clear their path.

  “Remie will be at your house, ostensibly to help you calm down. She can examine Abby,” Matt added.

  “Remie is a medical examiner.” Royden didn’t want to remind Abby how close she came to being on a cold steel slab.”

  “She’s family and a doctor, who won’t draw suspicion over being in your house,” Matt replied.

  “Abby’s gonna need an x-ray of her skull.” Royden objected to taking any chances. Unfortunately, there wasn’t a good way to turn.

  “We can manage that through Megan’s veterinary clinic.” Matt pulled back a branch to let them pass.

  “Why not Remie? The ME’s office has human equipment,” Royden protested.

  “Just a good precaution. The killer’s less likely to watch a vet’s office than the ME’s office if she’s following news reports.” Matt kept a steadying hand on Royden’s shoulder as they navigated the steep ravine and over the stream.

  “I’ll watch over Abby while you guys find the bitch.” Royden had no intention of letting Abby out of his sight again, regardless of the measures required.

  * * * *

  A WHIRLWIND of X-rays in a veterinarian’s office the prior afternoon, followed by Remie’s exam and endless questions kept Abby’s mind busy. Billy’s better half had pronounced her fit and prescribed bed rest until morning. No one cracked a joke about the ME examining a live patient.

  Now, the quiet proved overwhelming until Abby shut out the myriad thoughts and images flooding her mind. She’d asked for a few minutes to herself before the ceremony, despite the outpouring of love from her family gathered below.

  Downstairs, a door opened and closed, followed by soft murmurs drifting up to her room.

  A soft knock preceded Lexi and Katt padding to where she sat on the end of the bed.

  “Hi, guys. I’m almost ready.”

  “Good, because you have one very nervous looking groom down there.” Lexi smiled as she picked up the brush from the dresser and knelt behind her. “I didn’t believe shrinks got nervous, but he’s been shaking all morning.”

  “I still think we should’ve slipped the cowboy something to loosen him up. Ya know... it’s not too late.” Katt held out her hand and offered a scarf to Abby. “Something blue. I read it denotes fidelity and love, not that you two need it.”

  “Thank you, Katt, and please don’t roofie my fiancé. He’ll be fine.” Abby accepted the scarf and arranged it around her neck. “My mom let me borrow her embroidered handkerchief. It’s been handed down from mother to son for generations.” A nod toward the dresser indicated the delicate lace cloth.

  “It seems like it’s happening so fast.” Yesterday evening, her brothers’ hovering and waiting on her hand and foot had left her no choice but to startle them out of their predictable pattern.

  The food fight, something one of her brothers had done months ago, fit the bill. It had proven to be the greatest stress reliever in dealing with overbearing family. Noise levels kept to a minimum didn’t diminish the return of their precious comradery.

  To maintain outward appearances of a grieving family, each had brought assorted dishes to the point Royden had no place to keep them.

  The unanimous decision to keep her survival a secret offered a degree of comfort despite knowing Jenna roamed free. Sooner or later, lack of news would spur curiosity, then anger, and then rash action.

  No
t until her brothers left the prior night did Royden sit calmly by her side, holding her close and waiting. Absent was the raised eyebrow, pursed lips, and pinching the bridge of his nose.

  Patience and expectant silence urged her to babble while experience had taught her the benefit of opening up. For the first time in her life, she hadn’t felt weak about crying.

  “We’ve seen this wedding coming for months. Why do you think the rest of us have held our men in check?” Lexi smiled as she stood.

  “Wait. What? You’ve been waiting for me?”

  “Yup. We didn’t apply for the licenses because you have too many friends in the courthouse and didn’t want you to hear about it from any other than us.”

  “But... if we wait, then we could all do this together!”

  Katt looked uncomfortable before murmuring. “We will—when the time’s right.”

  “Yeah, after we catch Jenna. Carrigan’s half-sister has proven to have vast and accurate resources in tracking me.”

  “Then, we’ll plan a huge ceremony, for all of us.” Lexi held her hand out, grinning from ear to ear. “It’s time.”

  “Wait. Just a few more minutes. Let’s set some tentative plans, if not a date.” Abby brushed nonexistent lint from her jeans, needing another minute to compose herself. It wasn’t the wedding she’d always dreamed of, but it was better than she could ever have imagined.

  “I have to admit, I am surprised you didn’t want to wear your mother’s dress today.” Katt leaned back on the bed with her hands supporting her weight.

  “I do want to wear it for the public ceremony, but it needs to be altered and Royden and I figured having anyone else know I’m alive didn’t seem worth the risk. What’s important is that we get married, not how we do it. At least for now.”

  “Ah, I get it. Matt and I talked about a backyard ceremony.” Katt looked sheepishly at Lexi. “We’d still do the dresses and all that, but then, afterward... we could have the reception, well, McAllister style.”

  Lexi gasped then let out a belly-shaking laugh. “Oh my god. I told Ethan the same thing. We’ve all been waiting for you, Abby, but we didn’t talk about particulars.”

  Another knock on the door and Megan sidled in. “Hey, you girls okay? Lucas sent me up to check. Says if you don’t come down soon, Royden is gonna pass out.”

  “Then let’s get this show on the road.” Abby couldn’t have been happier than to see her family together.

  “I’m sorry we have to do this indoors with no proper music and all the shades pulled.” Megan led the party downstairs where Royden and the McAllisters waited.

  Abby smiled at Father Waters, someone she’d known for years. In front of him, Royden stood, dressed in jeans as they’d agreed, but with the addition of a tie.

  Flower deliveries after a loved one’s death kept up the pretense of Royden grieving, with the McAllisters gathered around him for support. Vases covered every available surface.

  Her parents had understood she didn’t want to walk down an aisle this time. She wanted to meet Royden halfway, on her own two feet. Her father had smiled but remained silent.

  Her brothers lined Royden’s great room with moisture brimming their eyes. Their better halves took places by their sides and held hands, smiling as Abby walked by.

  Abby placed her hand in Royden’s and let him tug her tight against his chest. The slight tremor in his arms matched the tremble in her legs.

  “I love you.” He cupped her face and tilted her chin up for a kiss.

  He’d said it many times during the past several months, but the warmth in his eyes melted her heart.

  “Ah, guys?” Lucas cleared his throat as Megan elbowed him in the ribs. “Well, that’s supposed to be after he says, ‘I do.’”

  Royden pulled back and faced the minister while Kaylee handed Abby a bouquet of flowers. It couldn’t have been more perfect.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  The evening turned cooler than expected as Havoc huddled behind the trunk of a gnarled cedar tree. It felt good to be back in normal sized footwear without wads of cloth cramping her toes.

  She’d arrived at dusk, wanting to snap a few shots of the mourning family for her album. It made sense they’d gather here to comfort the grieving fiancé.

  An odd sensation pricking her thoughts created as much discomfort as the new boots on her feet. Something felt off. None of the earlier news reports described the deaths of Lottie, the trooper, or a missing McAllister.

  No public notice of an upcoming funeral, yet Lottie had taken her last breath with a knife in her belly. She’d shot the trooper in the neck and the gut. No way could he have survived that.

  Patterson was a shrink, known for playing head games just as much as the McAllisters. Maybe they were eavesdropping on her marks, waiting for her to contact one and confirm the attorney’s death. Since the detective had planned to marry the bitch, he must be devastated. Maybe that was why news stations remained silent.

  Yesterday, she’d opted to flee instead of watching Royden and the McAllisters lose control with their devastation. Cleaning collateral damage entailed a tedious process when necessary. One she could handle later, after things cooled down.

  Her gut gurgled with her insistence to sneak back and gloat, but she wanted a lasting memento of their grief. At least a few snapshots. Another delivery truck brought flower arrangements. Condolences for the fiancé.

  Other than that, the McAllisters and their women remained sequestered in Patterson’s house with curtains drawn. No sound penetrated the walls. Damn, she wanted to see them cry. The two brothers observed arriving kept their faces down. Redemption came with the arrival of an older couple, whom she assumed were the parents. The woman cried on her husband’s chest.

  The convoluted trail left behind, even if each of her marks talked, would lead the cops on a chaotic chase for years. Searching for a brunette, a redhead, and a smartass with a black bob would leave them thinking conspiracy. They’d never know who took their baby sister away, not until she returned to finish the job.

  From the camera she’d hidden in a pine tree on the northern side of the property, she’d seen a minister or priest, they all looked the same, arrive earlier. If he’d come to comfort the family, why wasn’t there public news?

  Carrigan would receive the coded letter routed through Zachery and hit the roof. The bragging missive ordered him to call her burner phone. In the end, he’d understand her need to brag about completing a mission he couldn’t accomplish. Chaos was her best friend and she’d mastered him well.

  Her breath froze as another McAllister exited the front door. His expression remained somber as he looked around, en route to his car. The only vehicle left belonged to Patterson.

  The one mark she hadn’t hurt was Mitzie, Abby’s assistant. The thought of the cops arresting her for conspiracy in divulging specific information encouraged a smile.

  Stealthy steps carried her through the woods parallel to the back porch. As with the front and sides, the detective had drawn the shades with little light leaking around the sides.

  Patience was not one of her virtues. In her current endeavor, she’d maintained a sense of timing and control unrivaled by her stepbrother. Unlike him, no one could catch her.

  The reminder of Carrigan’s confinement shed new light and engendered caution. The family of cops would be on the hunt soon with no holds barred. In lieu of that, she decided to retreat, check the hospital admission records for anyone with a head injury and gunshot wound, then return later for a sneak peek. Instead of sitting at ground level, she’d made a perch for herself in a maple tree.

  With all the excitement, she’d forgotten to get a trophy from the lawyer. No doubt, she’d find a picture of the attorney and the detective inside when she snuck into the house to leave a final taunt after Royden left. A piece of tubing she’d cut off from Abby’s temporary air supply would serve the purpose. A picture sent to Carrigan would get two birds with one stone.

  * * * *<
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  “C’mere, cowboy, and show me how you’d tame a wild horse.” Abby smiled and leaned back against the pillows. Cool air brushing her nipples contrasted the heat emanating from Royden’s body.

  “Well, Mrs. Patterson, the doctor said to take it easy... How about I show you how I make love to my wife, gentle and mind-bendingly slow.” Royden set one knee on the bed and leaned forward. The brush of his fingers up the inside of her leg stopped at the crease of her thigh. “All this—is finally mine.”

  “I can’t believe I was such a fool, wanting to wait.”

  “A technicality we’ve corrected, my love.”

  “My brothers didn’t seem at all surprised. I’m glad your house is big enough to accommodate everybody.” She recognized the breathlessness of her voice, a common occurrence when her man stood ready to take them to new heights of ecstasy.

  “It’s time to talk about wedding details.” The huskiness of his tone declared it the last thing on his mind.

  “Now? You want to talk specifics now?” A deep breath didn’t steady her heart with his little nips along her sensitized flesh.

  His soft yet energizing touch feathered over her hips and up her flanks until cupping her breasts. He had no intention of relieving her stress anytime soon. The conversation alone, meant to distract, resembled the nuisance buzzing of a fly.

  “Sure. I was thinking of something different, as in unusual. It would have to be in order to fit a McAllister, the first of the siblings to fall into matrimony.” Royden plucked one nipple as his other hand sifted through the curls on her mound.

  She gasped and arched her back, urging him to find her center. “Okay, whatever you want. Now. Please?”

  “Not so soon. I don’t want you exerting yourself.” Royden knelt back on his heels. “So, a nontraditional wedding it is.”

  His words sounded sincere until she recognized the devilment in his gaze. “Royden. I’m horny. Now.” Teasing worked both ways. If his massive erection were any indication. His self-restraint proved quite impressive.

  Abby cupped her breasts, pushing them up for his inspection. The tension in her belly coiled tighter, imagining him holding her, driving into her, and fulfilling every need.