The door flung open and she saw Gizelle. From her face, she knew Gizelle wasn’t on her side.
“If it isn’t miss fancy pants no good thief.” She was holding a small suitcase which she placed down on the floor.
“Hi.” Putting the pieces together, she’d been knocked out and now it was the next day. Surely, Jack would be looking for her.
“Ryan told me we had a guest.”
“You know that’s not his real name, don’t you? I mean Ryan is, but Castle isn’t. I know that now.”
Gizelle crouched down in front of her. “I know more about him than you do. Who do you think told him about you?”
Gretel did her best to hide her surprise.
Gizelle continued, “Hazel told me about you years ago and what you did for a crust.”
“Hazel would never—”
“Don’t forget she’s been a pretty good friend over the years. At the time, she was upset about some boyfriend or other that she’d broken up with and I was comforting her, giving her more and more to drink. We were both drowning our sorrows.”
“My sister doesn’t drink.”
“She was drinking that day. Then you called in the middle of it. You were in Rome at a casino and guess who was also in Rome, and lucky for us he wasn’t far from the casino. I had you two meet. It was all my doing.” She cackled.
Gretel swallowed hard thinking back to the first time she laid eyes on Ryan Castle. He was handsome, that was what attracted her at the beginning, and then she saw he was getting friendly with one of the big players. A gut feeling had told her he was pulling a sting, but he never approached her. The opposite was the fact, but they did make eye contact and he smiled at her. When the big player next to him didn’t look happy, they had words, then Ryan moved to another gambling table and she sat next to him. If she hadn’t made that move, they’d never have met. “No. I don’t believe you’re telling the truth.”
“He’s a con artist. I was always telling him he could do more and go after bigger things. Mind you, that wasn’t the first time your sister mentioned you and what you were doing. At first I found it hard to believe with you being a minister’s daughter. I guess you rebelled.” She flung a hand in the air. “Whatever.”
How could her sister betray her like that? She wasn’t even a close friend with Gizelle, as far as what Hazel had told her. “Can you release me? I’ll not say anything to anyone about Ryan tying me up, or anything.”
“No. Not until Ryan and I have got to the next stage.”
Gretel closed her eyes but then her head swam too much. Fixing her eyes on Gizelle, she asked, “Are you going to kill me?”
“I’m not going to do anything. You were never here. I never saw you.”
“What happened to your stepfather?”
“I hated him. He couldn’t care less about me. He left Ryan fatherless and when Ryan’s mother died a year after his father was killed, he refused to take Ryan in. It was as though he never existed. He paid for boarding school only because Josephine had once been Ryan’s stepmother. He didn’t even have him home for the holidays.”
“That’s so awful. He was permanently at boarding school?”
“Yes.”
“How did you two get so close?”
“Only as adults.”
“How did your mother feel about it?”
Gizelle’s face contorted, but at least she was talking. “She had no say in anything. It was my stepfather that was running the show.”
“So you killed him?”
“It was the only way. There was no money left. How would Mom and I survive? The creditors were about to move in on the debts and take the firm and that meant the house would go too. We all knew the crash was coming any day. It was only a matter of time. Now Mom’s got his life insurance and the insurance from the jewelry.”
“And Ryan’s got the jewelry and he’s trying to sell it.”
A smile spread across her face. “Yes.”
“This is unbelievable.” Gretel was more annoyed than ever and wanted to bust free but she was strapped tight.
“It had to be done.”
“Does your mother know about what you and Ryan did?”
“What Ryan did you mean? She knows nothing. She wasn’t upset that Glen died, though, I can tell you that much.”
“That’s a bit sad.”
“No one will miss him. My mother didn’t really like him, not that much.”
“I need to go to the bathroom. Can you untie me?”
“No. Stay there!” Gizelle got to her feet and walked away.
“Gizelle, I really need to go. Ryan’s got my car keys somewhere, so I can’t leave if that’s what you’re worried about.”
Gizelle then yelled from somewhere within the house, “And, in case you were wondering, Ryan never loved you. He’d call me and we’d laugh about you.”
As hurtful as that was, there was no time to process the comment.
Time was running out. Ryan had killed his stepmother’s second husband in cold blood and now he’d be coming back for her, enraged and embarrassed because Jackson Forsitto would’ve rejected him.
She looked around. In the hallway there was nothing that would cut through the ropes. There were glass sections in the front door and maybe a glass shard could saw through the rope, but Gizelle would hear glass breaking.
She could try pleading with Gizelle again, but Gizelle would have too much to lose since she was in on it with Ryan.
The only thing Gretel could do was scoot along the floor as quietly as she could. The first doorway led to a bedroom. She moved from polished wood to carpeted floor. Bad idea. The carpet was almost impossible to move on. Then on the bedside table, she spotted a cigarette lighter. No. She’d most likely set herself on fire and nobody would be there to put out the flames.
Sitting there alone, roped to a chair, she knew she was done for. The only thing left to do was pray for a miracle, but she wouldn’t. She couldn’t. Not after everything she’d done.
Then she heard brakes screeching just outside the garage door. A door slammed. It was Ryan and he was back.
She shut her eyes tightly. “Let it be quick.”
Suddenly, she heard the internal door that led into the house flung open. Ryan stood there, enraged, in the bedroom doorway. The tension in the air was thick, the anger thicker.
“Think you’re clever, don’t you?”
“Why, what happened?”
“He laughed at me.”
She was too scared to see the humor. “Did you say the right thing?”
“When I repeated it, he had me thrown out.” Slowly, he pulled a gun out of his pocket.
“You can’t kill me here. It’ll make a mess on the carpet.”
“I’m doing it Dexter style. I’m wrapping you in plastic.” He dragged her into the kitchen. “Gizelle, I need plastic. We’ll have to kill her.”
Gizelle ran to them. “But don’t you need her?”
“No. Get the plastic”
Gizelle went to the pantry and produced a roll of plastic.
“I’ll need more than that.”
“That’s all I’ve got.”
He set the gun down, and from his pocket produced black gloves and pulled them on his hands. Then he started the first wrap of plastic around her midsection while Gizelle watched, her mind churning.
“Wait. You’re doing it wrong,” Gretel told him. “Dexter wrapped the room in plastic.”
“It’ll work.”
“No, stop. Let me go and I won’t say anything. No one knows what you’ve done. They’ve got no idea. They’re totally clueless.”
He then wrapped a sheet of plastic across her mouth. “I’ve been wanting to do that for a long time.”
“I’ve got money! I’ll pay you to let me go.” Her words came out muffled because of the tightness of the plastic. The more she talked the less air she had. She poked out her tongue trying her best to make a hole in the plastic.
There were only minute
s left to live. She tried to scoot herself along the floor to get away, but heavy hands held her. More plastic was wrapped around her torso.
Were they going to shoot her in the head and through the heart?
There was no way out. She hated that the last sounds she would hear were Ryan’s breaths and the last smells would be the aftershave that she once loved.
She couldn’t breathe, and pain filled her lungs as they begged for air. Everything was fading. In the distance, she heard a siren. Was it a police car? It sounded like one. Maybe she was dreaming as she died.
There was no time for regrets or what ifs.
Darkness.
Chapter 28
Gretel’s whole body spasmed with pain. Somewhere in her consciousness floated the idea she’d been shot. Air. She could breathe. She opened her eyes and saw figures moving around. It was too much work to keep watching. Her eyelids closed again.
“Talk to me, Gretel. Are you all right?”
It was Jack's voice!
But was she dreaming?
She tried to speak, but it wouldn’t come.
“Say something. Are you okay?”
With difficulty, she breathed out, “Yes.”
Her eyes opened and she saw Jack. The next moment, her mind was clearer and … she was stretched out on the floor and Jack was sitting, cradling her upper body in his arms. “Stay still. The paramedics are on their way.”
She struggled to sit up. When she looked around, there was no sign of either of her captors. “What …”
“Ryan and Gizelle have both been arrested. Don’t worry about that now. Just get your strength back.”
“Has the jewelry been found?”
“We found the Welch jewelry in his car. He’ll be going away for a long time.”
That was the best news she’d ever heard. “She said Ryan killed Glen.”
“Who said that?”
“Gizelle, I’m also certain she was the one who helped Ryan out of the hospital that night of the murder.”
The paramedics arrived and Jack walked out of the room and left her with them. After examining her they told her it was a good thing Jack had done CPR. She’d gone into heart failure after Ryan had stopped her breathing, and Jack had saved her life. Even after hearing that, she refused to go to the hospital. Her ribs were pretty sore from the CPR chest compressions, but when the paramedics poked and prodded them it didn't feel like any were cracked.
“I’ll go home and rest. I’ll be okay. I’m breathing.”
“I’ll make sure she’s okay.”
She looked up to see that Jack was back in the room. “I really want to go home.”
“I’ll drive you. Someone can come get your car tomorrow.”
He helped her to his car. All strength had drained from her body, but she was grateful to be alive.
As they drove, the events played out in her mind like the living real-life nightmare that it was. “How did it all play out just now?”
“We got a call from a reputable jeweler. He was pretty certain a man who’d just come in had some stolen jewelry. He recognized one of the pieces as coming from the Welch collection.”
Jackson Forsitto had done a good job. He’d saved her life. “That was a lucky break.”
“It was. Then we had the highway patrol stop him, and a quick look at his GPS told us where he’d been. That led us to you.” He glanced over at her. “Do you have someone who can stay with you tonight?”
“I do but I’d rather be alone.” Normally she would’ve called her sister, but she was majorly upset with her. Hazel had broken the golden rule of silence about what Gretel did for a living. Now, she was truly alone. Trusting people only led to disappointment. “Thanks for saving my life.”
He glanced over at her. “I just did what anyone would do.”
“Thanks for caring. I know you could be questioning Gizelle and Ryan right now and instead you're taking me home.”
He grinned. “It won’t hurt to let them stew for a while. They can wait.”
When they arrived at her place, he insisted on coming in and making sure she was okay. He sat her down on the couch. “I’ll get you something to eat.”
“There’s nothing here. I normally eat out or order in. You know, shop by the day.”
“How about I order us some Chinese?” He plumped up the cushions behind her.
“Sounds perfect,” she said only to be polite.
“I’m pleased you’re hungry. That’s a good sign.” He picked up his phone and called in an order. Then he walked into her bedroom and came back with a blanket and spread it over her. “I’ll make you some of that herbal tea while we’re waiting for the food.”
After they ate, Jack stayed with her until late. She must’ve dozed off after their meal because she heard the click of the front door as he quietly let himself out. It felt good that someone had been there for her.
The next morning Gretel woke from the sun streaming through the windows in the living room. She couldn’t wait to find out how the case had progressed overnight. But first things first. She tried to sit up but every muscle in her body ached. When she finally moved the blanket off her, all she wanted was heat on her body and then she’d take something strong for the pain.. After that, she’d call Jack.
Hot water had never felt so good. Closing her eyes she turned the shower on full and let it wash over her head and down her back. Mentally, she washed away all traces of Ryan Castle and the awful things he’d done to her.
She stepped out of the shower and reached for a white fluffy towel, trying the best she could to cope with the aches. Not only was she in pain, but it also hurt to breathe. She wrapped one about her body and towel-dried her hair with the other. With no energy to blow-dry her hair and style it as usual, she gave it a quick dry and then ran her hands through it. When she switched off the hairdryer, she heard a knock on the door.
Gretel froze. She hoped it was Jack. Forgetting she was in a towel, she hobbled to the door and saw from the monitor it was Jack. Then she looked down at herself. “Hold on a minute.” Sore all over, she carefully walked to her dressing room, and pulled on the first thing she saw, t-shirt and jeans. Now she was in a good mood—he’d have news of Ryan’s charges. Momentarily forgetting her pain, she opened the door smiling, and then she saw his glum face. “What is it?”
“Bagels.” He held up a bag. “And coffee.” He held a cardboard tray with two coffees in the other hand.
“Come in.”
He walked further into the apartment and then turned around to face her. “I have bad news.”
“Wait. Let me sit.” Rather than sit on the couch, she sat on the stool at the countertop so she wouldn’t have to bend.
He sat on the stool beside her and pushed the coffee along to her. “This is yours. We don’t have him.”
She stared at him trying to work out what he said. “What do you mean?”
“We had him in custody—”
Now she was sick to the stomach. She knew the ‘him’ was Ryan Castle. They’d caught him red-handed trying to kill her and with the stolen goods in his car. “You don’t have Ryan?”
“He got bail this morning.”
“Bail? Are you kidding me?”
“I’m not. From the court, he was forced into a white SUV much like the ones we saw at the lake house.”
“This can’t be happening.” She took a mouthful of coffee. “After all this.”
He ripped open the bagel package and handed her one.
“Thanks.”
“Gizelle told us everything. Ryan forced her to give him the combination by threatening her and her mother’s safety. He also killed Glen Welch.”
She looked across at him. “Did she get bail too?”
“Yes.”
“They both tried to kill me. Ryan, twice in the last few days. First with the car and then …” She stared into the dark liquid she had cupped in her hands. They were both liars. What really happened was anyone’s guess. There was so muc
h she hadn’t told Jack and now she felt bad because he’d saved her life and seemed so nice.
“Don’t worry, Gretel, they’ll both get time. I’ll see to it. I can promise you that.”
“That makes me feel better.” She took a bite of bagel. When she thought back to the interior base on the safe that she’d left undone, it still hit her as odd that it hadn’t been seen and reported by Josephine as yet. Unless she really had thought the police had left it like that. And, who was that man who’d tried to stop her at the Welches' house? She was positive it was the man she’d seen at the funeral.
“Are you okay?”
She looked into his concerned eyes. “I’m fine.” She set her bagel down and took another sip of coffee. When she finished swallowing, she said, “We still don’t know who those men were that were shooting at us at Ryan’s lake house.” She gulped. “Wait. Do you think those men kidnapped him, or something? You mentioned the SUV.”
“That’s what I was saying. He certainly didn’t look like he went with them willingly.”
“You saw it?”
“Yes. I’ve just come from there.”
“Hmm. I wonder if they’ve got him because they know he’s got my diamonds … I mean the stolen diamonds. You have the Welch jewelry in evidence and they can’t get any of that.”
“Correct. He can’t stay underground forever. He’s been ordered to report every two days. If he misses that day, we put out a warrant for him and he goes to jail until his trial.”
“They should never have let him out.”
“First offender.”
“First offender with a fake identity. He’s tried to kill me three times now. Unbelievable.”
“I know. I was surprised he got bail. I think you’re safe from him. He’s got bigger things to worry about, if those people who grabbed him don’t kill him first. I’m sorry that helping me put you in so much danger.”
She swallowed hard, not wanting to jeopardize her deal. “I’m involved either way. I won’t rest until he’s behind bars.” In her heart, she knew if Ryan got away from those men, he’d disappear and he’d never stand trial. “I won’t rest until he’s behind bars and it’s proven that he took those diamonds.” The dark recesses of her mind were working overtime. The best outcome would be if she got the diamonds back and made it look like the men in the white SUVs took them, that would be a plan—a very good plan. Even, a perfect plan.
Shiny Things Page 16
