Cora Jones and the White Mask (The Cora Jones Series Book 1)

by Tracy Pulinka

  Chapter Twelve – The Truth

  Landon pulled the car into a dark alley way and pulled Cora out of the car. “Wait, I’ve been here before,” she said. “Charlie and I were here the day we have that fight and I saw...”

  “When you saw a figure in the window? Yes my dear I was here that day as well. To think if only you would have spoken up to him about what you saw instead of standing there and letting him berate you like a small child, you could’ve caught me weeks ago!” Landon laughed and dragged her into the building and up the stairs.

  He threw Cora into a chair by the window of a fourth floor room facing the street. The sky was black, there was no moon, and no stars. The street below them was black, not a single street lamp. There was a small lamp by Landon that illuminated his face but nothing else. It would not have been visible from outside. Cora was trapped and utterly alone. Landon stood in front of the door, which was her only exit beside the window. It was too far down to jump. He didn’t bother to tie her up because he knew there was no way for her to leave.

  “So, I suppose it would only be right if I told you why I did all of this before I killed you.”

  “I think you should just kill me. If you take the time to tell such a long story, we might have company.”

  “It amazes me how confident you are that you’re going to be rescued. Sweetheart, I highly doubt that miserable oaf you have for a partner has even noticed you’re gone. He’d probably be glad to get rid of you anyway. Oh yes, I know all about the fights you’ve had, such a shame really. Do you honestly still think he has confidence in you?” Cora looked at the floor. “Yes I know, the truth hurts doesn’t it? But let’s be serious here, you’ve let everybody down haven’t you? You were supposed to be such an asset to them, but it’s taken you months to catch me, and you didn’t even do that, I caught you!” Cora felt her cheeks redden and her heart fall into her stomach. “I wonder who you have disappointed the most; the man who had such belief in you and may have even begun to actually fall for you, or your own father who thought you were something so special that you could handle such a big job...”

  Charlie sped and swerved through the streets of London as Billy told him which way to go. Thank God Cora’s phone was still on and working. It killed Charlie inside to hear what Landon was saying to her, but he knew had to stay focused and find her. He prayed that Cora’s phone would continue to go unnoticed. He knew that if Landon found it, there would be hell to pay. “How much further do we have to go?”

  “Estimated arrival time is about 20 minutes Charlie.”

  Charlie shook his head, “Not good enough.” He stepped hard on the gas and pushed his car to its limits. “Cora might not have 20 minutes, where’s the next turn?”

  “That left right there.”

  Cora glanced out the window into the blackness and then back to Landon. “So are you going to tell me why you killed all those women or not?”

  “Of course, if you really want to know.” She nodded. “Well when I said my mother died when I was a teenager I wasn’t lying. I was 16 and I killed her. You see, I loved my mother very dearly. She and I were always very close and since I was her only child, she absolutely showered me with affection. But, as I got older, I noticed that she began paying less attention to me. She and my father would leave me alone in the house and go out to dinner and theater. I would be left absolutely alone, not even a babysitter or friend for company. Then after a while, she only went out by herself and I was left with father. It was fine at first, but then he started drinking. The more she left the house, the more he drank, and when he drank, he loved to hit me and scream at me about how worthless I was. I ended up in the hospital several times because of it, but Mother never ever said a word. It was like she didn’t even care about me anymore. So, one night after the old man passed out drunk, I snuck out and went to find her. Do you know where I found her? I found her in the home of another man, one much younger than my father and had three daughters. She was obsessed with these girls. Father had wondered why we were missing some money, well she was spending it on gifts for them. Not only was she pretending to be a mother to these girls, she was being a lover to their father. I was furious. What about me? Was I no longer good enough for her? I was her child, and she left me to rot in hell!” Landon turned his back from Cora, “So, that night when she returned home, I was waiting for her in her bedroom, Father was still unconscious on the sofa. She was surprised to see me of course, but she was even more surprised when I walked straight up to her and threw her onto the bed. I beat her and ripped her clothes. Her screams fell on deaf ears and I laughed as she struggled. I cursed her for what she had done to me. I told her, ‘If she needed a young man with a family so bad, why didn’t she look right in front of her.’ The look of terror on her face grew and I laughed harder and harder as I held her down and I raped her. Then, as she lay cowering on the floor, I slit her throat.”

  His eyes burned like fire in the low lamp light. He approached Cora and she shifted in her chair. “And I got away with all of it,” he sneered. “Everything was blamed on my father. He was carted away to prison and I finished my studies in a private boarding school. I swore that no woman would ever have a chance to do to me what she had done. Women are all the same, never satisfied with their lives, always looking for something more, something better. And they are all so gullible and easy to catch. They fall for any lie you feed them and eat it up like chocolate cake. All those girls, they thought they were so smart, but they weren’t smart enough not to fall for a man they just met were they? Hmmm...And neither were you.” He stroked her face and she pulled away. “Before you even bother to ask, I chose them because they all looked like her. Every time I saw that face I lured her in and took it from her. I took that face that haunts my memories and deposed of it over and over again.”

  He smashed the lamp on the floor and yanked Cora to her feet. He backed her up against the wall and ran a greedy hand down her body. “I think I’ll let you keep yours though, it is so very pretty.”He pulled out a knife and held it to her throat. He kissed her forcefully and tried to find the zipper of her dress. She slid her hand into her hidden pocket and grabbed the tiny hand gun she had safely tucked away. She pulled back the hammer, put her finger on the trigger and squeezed. The bullet hit him in his lower right abdomen and sent him staggering backward. He nicked her just below her ear as he fell away. She pulled the gun from her pocket and aimed it at his head. She was about to pull the trigger again when Charlie burst through the door followed by Billy and her father. She looked out the window and saw the glow of the sirens on the street below. Billy dragged Landon up from the floor, cuffed him ad lead him out. Charlie and Dorian took Cora and followed. They bandaged her neck and watched as all their hard work finally paid off and Landon was taken away in chains.

  “You arrived just in time,” Cora said as she smiled up at Charlie.

  “Well, from the way it looked, you already had things handled and didn’t even need me.” He embraced her and she felt his chest soften as he let go a long sigh of relief. “I’m so glad you’re alright.”

  “Well,” Cora began as they separated, “after all this time of making sure everything was so perfect, he made two huge mistakes.”

  “And what were they?” Dorian asked.

  “He didn’t tie me up, and he insisted on doing the stereotypical villain thing and go through this big long monologue instead of just killing me.”

  Chapter Thirteen – Case Closed

  Cora received much praise and applause as she entered the station the next morning. McCoy patted her on the back and whispered, “Good Job kid.” She shook many hands and issued many thanks as she struggled to get through the sea of people from the door to her desk. Billy walked over as she sat down, “How are you feeling today?”

  “Never felt better. I’m just so glad it’s all finally over. This was easily the hardest cased I’ve ever worked. What a way to begin my career here, ay?”

  “I’ll say! But we are
all very proud of you, and I think you’ll be sticking around for quite a while. I’m not saying there won’t be anybody giving you any more flack, because there always will be, but you have definitely earned your place here.”

  “Thanks Billy. Where’s Charlie?”

  “He’s down with his brother exchanging some information.”

  “I thought Kellin was fired for his drinking.”

  “Well, technically he was, but everyone agreed they couldn’t let a mind like his go to waste, so they still consult with him for certain things. Since this involves Charlie, it would only be appropriate that Kellin was a communicator between you two and the actual prosecutor.”

  Cora nodded. She looked over to her father as Charlie walked away. Dorian smiled at her and gave her his own small applause. As she turned back around Charlie was walking in. He saw her at once and ran right up to her, hugging her immediately. “We did it,” she said.

  “We? No Cora. YOU did it.” He sat down across from her, never once losing eye contact.

  “Kellin says they got Landon to talk. He revealed who all the girls were, and their families are being found. He’s going away for a long time.”

  “Are you saying he confessed?”

  “Actually, surprisingly enough, he did. Apparently he felt very defeated. He had done everything so perfectly so as not to ever get caught, and then you came along and he fucked up big time. You outsmarted him, and now he has no reason to try and deny anything.” Charlie handed her a long and slim package. “Here, this was in your mailbox this morning. Before you ask, no it’s not from me, and no I do not know who it’s from, but I think there is a card.”

  Cora opened the box, “It’s a rose.” She held it up for Charlie to see. “The card says ‘Congrats on solving your big case, hope your luck continues.’ But there is no name.”

  “Hmm that’s odd.” He walked over and stood beside her, “Well I hate to rush you, but there are crimes to be solved. Are you ready to get back out there kiddo?”

  “Of course, but do me a favor...Stop calling me ‘kiddo’.”

  Charlie laughed, “You got it.”