The Senator's Daughter (Heritage Series Book 3)

by Ciana Stone

  "Okay, I feel like I'm missing something here. What aren't you telling me?"

  "It wasn't supposed to happen yet. Last night I was going to run out and grab some groceries since you texted and said you'd be over and he grabbed me. After I woke up, he told me he didn't intend to let me live. He was going to drug John when he arrived and make John watch as he dismembered me then he'd do the same to John and create his best masterpiece. He was going to call it the lovers and it would be created using me and John."

  "This was one fucked up plan, Amber."

  Just then, Riggs entered the room. "I've searched the house, and there's no sign of Maddox. What the hell's taking you so damn long, Naomie? Get a damn knife and cut her loose."

  "Riggs!" Naomie screamed as a shorter, older and much less muscular man, dove at Riggs from behind with a hypodermic needle in one hand.

  Riggs pivoted and punched Maddox in the throat. Maddox dropped the syringe as he reached for his throat, his mouth opening and closing as he gasped for air. Riggs grabbed hold of him in a choke hold and looked at Amber.

  Maddox was clawing at Riggs' arm, trying to tear it away from his throat. Riggs cuffed him in the side of the head with his fist, and Maddox's hands dropped away, his face changing from beet red to a paler pink as oxygen deprivation worked on him.

  "Your call." Riggs looked at Amber. "Alive or dead?"

  "Riggs!" Naomie screamed as Maddox reached into his pocket. His hand emerged with another syringe.

  "Fuck this," Riggs grabbed Maddox's hand, applied pressure to the inside of his wrist, and when Maddox dropped the syringe, Riggs tightened the choke hold. Within moments, Maddox's eyes rolled back, and he went limp.

  Riggs let him fall and stepped over him to kick the syringe aside. "That's probably cleaning fluid," Amber announced. "He used it on his victims."

  "How the hell would you know that?"

  "Because she set the whole thing up to make her boyfriend a hero, but Maddox double-crossed her and drugged her," Naomie snapped, and looked at Amber as she added. "And planned on killing her and John and making them one of his sick sculptures,"

  "Say what?"

  "You heard me."

  "What the fuck, Amber?" Riggs bellowed.

  "Shhh!" Naomie said. "I heard something."

  Riggs ran to the front of the house, then came back into the kitchen. "There's a car out front and a dark-haired guy with what looks like the bulge of a weapon under his hoodie coming up the sidewalk."

  "It's John!" Amber whispered. "Get out of here. Go!"

  "You've got to be kidding," Riggs said.

  "I agree," Naomie said. "How are you going to explain–?"

  Amber cut Naomie off. "Just go. Please."

  Naomie looked at Maddox passed out on the floor then stood and motioned to Riggs. "Let's go."

  "Seriously?"

  "Yes. Let her play this out."

  "Fine.”

  They left through the back door and quietly made their way around the side of the house. Riggs put his finger to his lips as they reached the corner of the house. They could hear the man talking from where he stood on the front porch.

  "This is Special Agent John Rushing, requesting backup." He gave the location, and the nature of the crime as a kidnapping then ended the call. A moment later, he called out in a loud voice. "FBI!"

  When they heard the sound of the door being kicked in, they waited two seconds then hurried down the sidewalk to where they'd left the bike. As Riggs pulled on his helmet, he said. "I'm going to want to hear the whole story, you hear me?"

  "I do, and I’ll tell you. Now let's get the hell out of here."

  Chapter Seventeen

  Washington, D.C

  Maddox climbed unsteadily to his feet. "You fucking bitch, you set me up."

  "Me?" Amber retorted. "I did no such thing. If you'd stuck–"

  Maddox bent over and snatched up the syringe from the floor, then took a step closer. “I'm going to cut you into a hundred fucking pieces and–"

  "Freeze!"

  Amber screamed at the sound of John's voice. "John! Oh, thank–" her next sound was a scream of terror as Maddox leapt at her, the syringe held like a knife.

  John didn't hesitate. He pumped two rounds into Maddox, watched as the man fell and then hurried over to where Maddox lay on the floor. The wide sightless eyes and the side of his head where one bullet exited told John the man was dead.

  He holstered his weapon and hurried to Amber. "Oh my god, John," she cried as he put his arms around her. "He was going to–oh my god."

  "I have to find something to cut that tape."

  Just as John stood another voice rang out. "Police, freeze!"

  John slowly raised his hands. "FBI. My credentials are in the right side, back pocket." He turned slowly, and one of the two police officers hurried to remove his identification. "It's legit," the officer said and returned John his credentials. "Sorry, Agent Rushing."

  "Just doing your job, officer. Now, we need to free Ms. Walker."

  "Yes, sir."

  The moment Amber was free she flung herself into John's arms, blubbering about Maddox sneaking up behind her in her parking garage and knocking her out and waking up here in his kitchen and him threatening to cut her into tiny pieces.

  Between the sobs, hiccups and being interrupted by more police and FBI agents, she never got the full story out. John's superior entered the kitchen, took one look around and ordered everyone except John and Amber out of the room.

  "Ms. Walker, we have an ambulance waiting to take you to the hospital where, after you've been examined and treated, if treatment is necessary, you will be held for questioning. Your parents will meet you there."

  He then looked at John. "You need to report back to the Bureau immediately after giving the police your statement, Agent Rushing. I believe a detective is waiting to escort you to the station.

  "Yes, sir." John hugged Amber. "Come on, I'll walk you outside." He looked at his superior. "With permission, sir?"

  "Of course."

  Outside it was a media circus, with cameras and camcorders pointed at Amber, reporters shouting questions and police trying to hold everyone back. John kept his arm around her, and she kept her face buried against him with one hand covering the rest of her face.

  "Go with me," she said when he released her.

  "I can't, honey. I have to make a statement with the police and then with the Bureau, and they'll want to compare my statement to yours and against the evidence at the scene. But, I promise you that as soon as I'm able, I'll call. Okay?"

  She nodded and let the paramedics help her into the ambulance. At a tap on his back, John turned to find a middle-aged man with tired eyes standing behind him. "Detective Davids. I'm here to escort you."

  "Can someone drive my car over to the station?"

  "I rode with my partner, so why don't we take your car? He can catch up later."

  "Thank you, Detective."

  "I'm thinking maybe someone should be thanking you, Agent Rushing. Putting that bastard six feet under was long overdue."

  John didn't disagree, but neither did he verbalize it. He just gave the detective his keys and climbed into the passenger seat of his car, leaned back and closed his eyes, willing himself to stop thinking about that moment when he saw Maddox diving at Amber with that needle in his hand.

  It was at that moment he realized he had a real dilemma on his hands. As much as he wanted to save Amber, and as much as he cared about her, he couldn't stop thinking about the Hood. And that, sooner or later, was going to be the weapon of his doom.

  *****

  "Well, she got what she wanted, after all," Riggs commented as he and Naomie sat on the couch in the command center, watching the news play out on eight oversized monitors. The media caught it all, in high def, John with his arm protectively around Amber, escorting her to a waiting ambulance and then Senator Walker and his wife the Attorney General being interviewed at the hospital, calling John a hero.
/>   "Looks like it," Naomie agreed. "For all the good it will do her."

  "Meaning?"

  "Didn't you hear what I said. Maddox hatched the plan with the help of Robin Hood. Aka Amber Walker."

  "Yeah I heard that. Still I'm not following what you mean."

  "I mean she fucked up by getting too close to him. Sooner or later he's going to have to make a choice and if it was you, which would you choose, the mysterious, oh-too-notorious super criminal who can slip in and out of your life and your bed at will, tease you with all the things she can and wants to do to and with you, or the safe Senator's daughter?"

  "You have a point."

  "I know."

  "So what will happen?"

  "I guess that'll become clear in time. Either we'll hear that Amber and Agent Rushing are a thing, or we'll not hear anything about him at all."

  "And you?"

  "I still have a few things to do before I call it done here."

  "Like what?"

  "Destroy all this."

  "And then?"

  "Then I need to sit on a beach, sink into the sea, and let nature heal me."

  "Is that all it takes? To heal from what happened with you and my Dad, I mean?"

  "Honey, nothing will ever heal me of that. But the rest of it? Maybe. Now, you want to help, or you want to ride into the sunset?"

  "I think I'll hang around and help. I seem to have a hard time walking away from you."

  "You have no idea how many times I wish it was you I'd met first."

  "Same here."

  "But then we'd have run the risk of things ending where they always seem to with the other people who've passed through our lives, and I would have hated that. This way, I never have to lose you."

  "And you won't."

  "Same here. Now let's get a move on. If we're diligent, in twelve hours, we'll be ready to say goodbye to this place and this chapter."

  "More like AMF," he commented.

  "AMF?"

  "Adios, mother fucker."

  "Amen to that." She stood and offered her hand. "And hell, yeah."

  *****

  John tossed his keys on the table in the foyer, went straight to the refrigerator, grabbed a beer, and took it with him to the couch. He placed the bottle on the table, kicked off his shoes and for a few minutes just sat there with his elbows on his knees and his hands hanging loosely between his legs, letting the fatigue settle in like a heavy blanket.

  Two days. It'd taken two full days before everyone was satisfied that his shooting of Winfred Maddox was justified. Amber's statement matched his, and the only discrepancies were a broken back door lock he knew nothing about and the fact that a neighbor had seen a woman "of color" and a white man she'd never seen before walking down the sidewalk just moments before she heard gunfire.

  John had no clue about the strangers. All he knew was that he was relieved to be cleared, to be home and to be away from all the voices. Silence was the best balm of all to his tired mind. He twisted the cap off his beer, tilted it up and took a long drink. Then he leaned back and stared across the room at the blinds on the sliding glass door.

  Funny how that brought to mind thoughts of the Hood. Had she been watching, waiting for his return? Or had she lost interest in him and moved on to her next victim? That's how he sometimes felt. Like a victim. Surely there was some psychological defect or syndrome to explain his feelings for her.

  She was a criminal. One of the most successful in history. And without a doubt, the sexiest. Damn it all. Did even the thought of her have to give him a hard-on? Why couldn't he let go of her? He had someone interested in him. A gorgeous, smart, sexy woman any man would kill for. Why couldn't he turn his back on a criminal in favor of Amber? Was he that fucked up?

  The landline jangled, and he got up to answer. It was the doorman. "There's a Miss Walker here to see you, sir."

  "Send her up, Mark. Thanks."

  He walked to the door, opened it, and leaned against it, waiting. She stepped off the elevator a few seconds later and stopped. For a few moments, they just looked at one another, then Amber ran to him.

  John grabbed her with one arm, turned and swung her through the door, kicking it closed behind him. Amber's hands moved to his face a moment before her lips pressed against his. John ended the kiss, noticing the puzzled look on her face. "I was having a beer. Want one?"

  "No, thanks." She followed him into the living room.

  "Have a seat."

  She sat, and after a moment, he took a seat beside her. "I hope it wasn't too rough on you. I know how difficult it can be answering the same questions time and again."

  "I survived. Thanks to you. You saved my life, John."

  "And I'd do it again, but the part I can't get straight in my head is how Maddox knew we'd dated?"

  "How would I know? He was a psychopath."

  "To say the least."

  "And now it's over. My parents are very grateful, by the way. They'd like to take us to dinner one night."

  "Take us to dinner? As in out in public?"

  "Yes," she smiled. "Is that a problem?"

  Is that a problem? Good question. What's the answer, Johnny boy? John didn't know what to say. If he went to dinner with her and her family, he and Amber could be labeled a couple. Was that fair? He did like her, but how could he allow her to think of them this way as long as he couldn't let go of the Hood.

  What the hell was he supposed to do? How about just tell the truth?

  "Amber, I – hell, I don't know how to say this except straight out. I like you. A lot. However, there's another woman I've been involved with for a while and–"

  "Oh, you never mentioned you were dating someone else."

  "I'm not. I mean we don't really go out but-but never mind all that, the point is, I know she's not good for me, and I know I need to end it, but as much as I want to I can't get her out of my mind, and it just wouldn't be fair to you to start anything until I know I'm done with her. Over her."

  "You're right, John and I appreciate your honesty." She leaned over and kissed his cheek. "I hope you don't mind me being honest and saying I hope you change your mind. And if you do, you have my number, right?"

  "I do."

  "Okay then," she stood. "Thank you for saving me, John. I always wondered what a real hero was. Now I know."

  She walked away, and a second later, he heard the door open and then close. John sat there for a long time, trying to decide if he'd done the right thing, being honest, or if he'd shot himself in the foot over a woman who couldn't bring anything but trouble to his life.

  North Carolina Coast

  Naomie wet her fingers and put out the joint as Riggs passed her the bottle of tequila. She took a drink, blew out a breath, and then stretched out her legs from her crossed-legged position and dug her toes into the sand.

  "So what's next?" Riggs asked before he turned took the bottle she offered and turned it up to his lips.

  Naomie shrugged. "Build a time machine?"

  "A time machine? And what would you do if you could go back in time?"

  "Not go to Cotton Creek." Even as she said it, she knew it to be a lie.

  "Really? You'd sacrifice getting to know all the people you love there? You'd give up me?"

  She looked at him. "You hit where it hurts the most, don't you?" Secretly, she was glad Riggs was a man who didn't pull his punches. She needed honesty and strength and he had both in spades. As crazy as it sounded, even to her, part of her had been a little in love with him since the day she met him and she would be a little envious of whoever finally captured his heart one day.

  Riggs passed her the bottle again. "I'm just a realist, beautiful. You could always go back."

  "Maybe. One day. Not today. We still have more to accomplish."

  "Are you serious? Naomie do you have any idea the prison time you'll face if you get caught?"

  "I'm careful."

  "I don't care how careful you are. Like you said yourself, sooner or lat
er everyone makes a mistake."

  She rolled over onto her side to face him. "I told you we have to finish this thing with Petrov. You've seen the evidence, Riggs. I can't walk away from this. I have to see it through and then– well, then we'll see."

  "What if you went back, and what if you were met with open arms?"

  Naomie blew a raspberry and rolled over onto her back again to stare up at the sky. "This is your father we're talking about, you know. Russell Walker? If I went back now, he'd have his hackles up, and he'd want to punish me for leaving, and we'd fight and then…"

  "Then what?"

  She didn't want to answer the question. Mainly because her fear of what would happen made her unable to face Russell.

  "Well?" Riggs rolled onto his side and propped up on an elbow to look down at her.

  "Then he'd break my heart, and I'd have to see it."

  "What would you have to see?"

  "I'd have to look in his eyes and see that he doesn't love me. As long as I don't go back, I can at least pretend he's as miserable without me as I am without him."

  "Naomie, that's about the stupidest thing I've ever heard come out of your mouth."

  "I'm not all that smart when it comes to this stuff. Clearly. If I were, I'd have chosen you, and we'd be stripping down right now to run out into that water and make love like we're the only two people on Earth."

  "That sounds mighty damn good, but girl, you didn't choose me."

  "Is it too late to change my mind?"

  "You know it is. Don't get me wrong, I'd say yes so fast it'd make your head swim, but we'd never be able to go back, and it wouldn't take long before that would eat at you. Family is important to you, and you know it's important to me, too, even if I'm not home that much. In time, the not going home would come between us, and as much as I'd love to live out that little fantasy, I wouldn't risk losing what we have."

  "And what's that?"

  "Real friendship. The kind where you know the other person doesn't just have your back but would walk through fire for you. That doesn't come along often."

  "No, it sure doesn't. And even though I'd like to forget we have all that and pretend I don't know your dad so I can take you into the water and get you naked, I'll be honorable. We'll just sit right here, light up that roach and drink some more tequila."