by Angela Ford
“What is it Audrey? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” Paul hugged his dear friend.
“Derek MacLean.” Audrey only needed to say his name to grab Paul’s attention.
“What about him? He’s in prison. I thought you said this was about Brianna.” Paul threw her a completely confused look.
“Are you certain? I think he’s the man responsible for Lisa’s death. And I think Brianna is in danger.”
Audrey handed him a coffee. “What?” Paul shook his head.
“Brianna lured Lisa’s killer from that chat group. She met him at the park tonight. He came up behind her, and she felt a sharp point in her back. Then he whispered in her ear, ‘it’s your turn’.”
Paul paused from the sip of coffee he’d been about to take. His jaw dropped. Audrey knew he remembered the MO of Derek MacLean. MacLean whispered those same words in Audrey’s ear: right before he raped her.
“I need to make a call.” Paul set his cup down on the counter and reached for his phone. Audrey waited patiently while he made that call. She had to know if MacLean was still in prison. She listened to Paul’s side of the conversation in horror.
“What do you mean paroled after twenty-eight years? He was sentenced to two life terms consecutively not one.” Paul brushed his hand across the stubble on his face.
“I knew it. He’s out.” Audrey reached into her pocket and pulled out an envelope. She handed it to Paul, “You need to read this. This will confirm he suspects who Brianna is.”
Paul opened the envelope and began to read the hand-written scribble.
“Does Brianna know?”
“No. I’ve kept it secret her whole life. I almost told her after she told me what the man in the park said to her, but I couldn’t.” Tears formed in Audrey’s eyes.
She began to shake. Paul took her in his arms and promised, “I’ll find the bastard.” He released from their hug. “Where’s Brianna?”
“She left over a half-hour ago. She went to meet her friend, Pete, who’s a computer whiz. She figures he’ll track that hidden IP address and locate Lisa’s killer.” Paul dialed Brianna’s cell number.
“Inspector—everything okay?” Brianna answered after the first ring.
“Where are you?”
“Out with a friend, why?”
“I know what you’re doing. Where exactly are you? I know who the killer is. You’re in danger.” Paul was not only her boss but a close friend of the family. He and his wife were Brianna’s godparents.
“Who is it?”
“I’ll tell you in person, once I get your location.” Paul wasn’t the man to argue with and Brianna never tried him. She gave him the address.
“Your mother and I will be there in ten minutes.” Paul disconnected the call and turned to Audrey, “Are you strong enough for this?” She nodded. She would do anything for her daughter, even if it meant she put her own life in danger.
Chapter Five
“My mother” Brianna disconnected her call and then turned to Pete. “Why the hell is he bringing my mother?”
Brianna pulled her Smith & Wesson from its holster. Pete looked horrified. “Thought you were supposed to wait for your inspector?”
Brianna kept her eyes focused across the street, on the man she noticed.
“Can’t, there he is.”
She opened the car door and turned to Pete, “Stay here.”
“You’re crazy, Bri. It’s not safe to go in by yourself. Don’t be so damn stubborn.”
Pete pleaded with her. He was unsuccessful. She closed the door and walked across the street to an older home. She figured he was middle class, even to afford to rent the place in this neighborhood. She crept up the walkway and kept against the bushes as she scouted her surroundings. She took notice to dim lighting. He wasn’t in the front room. She looked up and noticed a light turned on upstairs. She made her way to the front door. She turned the knob slowly and discovered it unlocked. She opened it and entered with her gun drawn.
She felt a presence behind her and turned quickly. Her gun pointed directly at Pete. He put his hands up and whispered, “You’re not doing this alone.” She motioned for him to leave and he shook his head. She wasn’t about to argue with him and make her presence known to the man upstairs. With one hand on her gun she stretched her other arm back to keep Pete safely behind her and moved to the bottom of the staircase.
“Put your hands where I can see them,” Brianna ordered when the man appeared at the top of the stairs.
“Come on, Brianna. You can’t shoot your old man now.” He began to walk down the stairs. He appeared confident again, in a creepy way.
“Stop where you are and put your hands where I can see them,” she demanded.
“Listen, sweetie, I’m sorry about tonight. I didn’t expect to find you in the park. I was just looking for a little fun. I’d never hurt you, only your sister and your mother. You’re my flesh and blood.” He continued down, one step at a time, slowly, like he was taunting her. Startled by his words she wondered what the hell he meant. Then she heard her mother’s voice.
“Come any closer to her, Derek and I’ll shoot you myself.” Audrey Wilson’s words shocked Brianna. She heard Paul’s voice tell Audrey to stay behind him.
“Well, if it isn’t Officer Matthews. What a reunion we have here.” Brianna heard the man’s sarcasm in his laughter that filled the room.
“Back-off, MacLean, I have no trouble pulling the trigger on a bastard like you.”
Paul’s disgust for the man was easily read.
“What the hell is going on here Mom?” Brianna yelled out to her mother, without taking her eye off the man on the staircase, her gun still pointed at him. Before Audrey could speak, Derek MacLean took the spotlight.
“Guess your mother hasn’t told you. I knew your mother twenty-nine years ago. She kept us apart all these years. I’m your father.” Brianna wasn’t sure if she was more horrified with his words or the cold-blooded tone of his voice when he spoke.
“You raped me twenty-nine years ago. You don’t deserve to be a part of her life. You deserve to be behind bars,” Audrey’s voice echoed in the dark. Her tone scared Brianna. She tried to piece all of this together.
“That’s not what you wanted back then. Our night was special. It was the night we conceived our daughter. I was never arrested or convicted for what you accuse me of.”
Derek made it sound as though Brianna was made out of love not crime. She trusted her mother. She knew she couldn’t be lying. She didn’t know this man to trust him.
Paul spoke up before Derek MacLean could continue, “It sickens me to listen to this. We made the best choice. The charges against the young girl you killed were dropped only to a mistrial of missing evidence. We could have charged you with rape and sent you to a Canadian jail for a few years, tops. The FBI wanted you for two murders in the States. They said they’d put you away for two consecutive life sentences. That was the best choice. Get you out of the country and behind bars for the rest of your life.”
“Don’t listen to them, Brianna. They’re only trying to keep us apart. I’m your dad. Trust me.” Derek’s evil tone ripped through Brianna, not in fear but in disgust. She trusted her mother, not a stranger.
“Any man can be a father. It takes a special man to be a dad. You definitely don’t fit that category,” Brianna quickly answered him. He took a step. He was midway down the staircase. It was still too dark to see his hands.
“I said stop where you are and put your hands where I can see them,” Brianna commanded. He took another step. The partial light from upstairs only lit half of the staircase. Brianna could now see his hand slowly rise. He was armed.
“Stop or I’ll shoot,” she yelled.
“You won’t shoot me. I’m still your father.” He took another step with his gun pointed at the front door. Brianna knew her mother was behind her. Her gut told her he was going to shoot her mother.
“Now, it’s your turn,” Brianna whis
pered, as the sound of the bullet left her pistol and took him down. Paul reached over and took Brianna’s weapon. He felt for a pulse on Derek and shook his head. Then reached for Derek’s weapon and called the shooting in.
Brianna ran to her mom, tears flowed upon her cheeks. Her mother’s hug gave her comfort. “I’m sorry, Brianna. I should have told you. I just wanted to protect you.”
“I know, Mom. I know.” Brianna released from their hug and smiled. Her mother wiped away her tears. She then realized Pete was standing there. “Oh, Pete, I’m sorry to have dragged you into this.”
“I told you earlier, there’s nothing that can keep us apart again.” Pete smiled and then took her in his arms. It was exactly where she wanted to be.
Thank you for reading ‘Still’. I love to hear from my readers! If you enjoyed, won't you please take a moment to leave me a review at your favorite retailer?
Visit my website to view all my books at angelafordauthor.com
Angela Ford originates from Nova Scotia…Canada’s Ocean Playground!
Her love of the ocean and sunsets are always in her heart and give her inspiration. Her love for words keeps her turning the page. She is never without a book, whether she’s reading or writing. Now residing in Ontario, Angela works in Finance – numbers by day – words by night. Her dedication to volunteer and involvement with cyber safety seminars gave her an Award of Distinction and sparked the idea for her first book Closure – suspense with a dash of romance that hit the best- selling Action/Adventure and Women’s Fiction. Angela continued this FBI suspense with Forbidden and will deliver the final of the series in 2015. She also writes contemporary romance, sometimes sweet…sometimes spicy and sometimes with a dash of suspense. Unforgettable Kiss delivers a spicy romance with a dash of suspense. Blind Tasting of The Love List series and The Christmas Wreath of the Forever Christmas series are sweet reads. 2015 kicked off with a new Romantic Suspense Surrender .
Between two jobs, being a mom with a home always filled with young adults and rather interesting stories; she is lucky to have one very patient and understanding man. But it is the furry family members who rule the house – a Puggle (Pug/Beagle), a new Chug puppy (Pug/Chihuahua) and two loveable cats. Every possible quiet moment she finds, she treasures and just writes about the moments to come. Angela is an avid reader of romance, a member of the RWA, KOD (Kiss of Death – Suspense Chapter) and Mississauga Writers Group. You can follow her at BTGN www.bookstogonow.com or visit her website/blog Romantic Escapes at http://www.angelafordauthor.com to connect with her on her social network sites. She loves to hear from her readers – they keep her smiling!
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