Deceived At Every Turn

by Jennifer Cole

  She pressed her ear to the door but heard nothing.

  Harper slumped to the ground against the door. Tears welled up in her eyes. She bit back a sob.

  She would never give him the satisfaction of breaking her.

  Chapter 23

  The next morning Riley stood at the front window when a soft, tentative voice made his heart drop.

  “Where’s Aunt Harper, Riley?” Olivia stood beside him, her expectant expression causing a new ache in his heart. She was looking to him for an answer he didn’t have.

  He bent to wrap his arms around her tiny body in a fierce hug. “I spoke to her a few minutes ago on the phone, she said she loves you and she’ll see you soon.” He hoped she couldn’t see the lie behind his eyes.

  He wasn’t sure she was convinced, but she ran back off to her room.

  “Do you think that was wise?”

  Riley turned to look at Melina. “What the hell am I suppose to tell her? ‘Hey, sweetheart, your aunt is gone and I don’t know why or where.’ I’m sorry, Melina. I don’t know if it’s right or wrong, but I just can’t break her heart.” Sighing in frustration, he turned back toward the window. “Damn it, Harper, where in the hell are you?”

  * * * *

  Harper awoke to the sound of a key in the door. Having not eaten in over forty-eight hours, her head was woozy at the quick action of sitting up.

  Marshall entered the room carrying a single Styrofoam cup of coffee. “Well, good morning, sunshine. Nice to see you’re up and at it. Keeping busy?”

  “I need to use the bathroom,” Harper demanded.

  Marshall walked over to a bucket in the corner of the room and peered over the top of it. “No, you don’t. You’ve used this. That’s what it was left for.” He strolled nonchalantly to the chair across the room and set down on it, taking a mouthful of his coffee. Smacking his lips as if the coffee was the best he’d ever tasted, he sneered at her. “Are you ready to tell me what I want to know?”

  Harper studied him with a hard, hateful stare. “I don’t know anything.”

  He belched after savoring another mouthful of coffee.

  The smell of the coffee made Harper’s stomach growl as hunger festered in her empty stomach.

  “You’re still singing that tune, huh? Well, what do you think when I tell you your lover has been working with me? Right now, as we speak, he’s tearing your fucking house apart looking for your brother’s stuff.”

  Harper felt the color drain from her face. It was a good thing she was sitting, because she would have collapsed at that awful bit of information. Riley wouldn’t betray her like that. He’d told her he loved her. She’d told him she loved him. She’d trusted him with her niece. She’d trusted him enough to let him take her in ways no other man had. She didn’t believe it.

  “Impossible,” she spat out.

  Marshall laughed. “Yeah, I figured you’d think that. He told me how attached you and Olivia are to him. What an easy mark you are. You don’t have a god damned clue how pathetic he thinks you are, do you? I’ve had him snooping around your house for a couple of weeks.”

  Harper’s heart fell to the pit of her stomach. Her mind raced. Riley had been acting strangely. She’d caught him snooping, once in her room and once in the kitchen. She thought hard. It couldn’t be true. The computer, she’d forgotten about him using her laptop.

  Jesus, it couldn’t be true.

  Six months earlier, the first night in her brother’s home, Harper had come across Alex’s surveillance notes and listened to the audio tapes he’d made regarding his investigation. Alex had suspected someone of importance was involved in illegal activities. That night she’d learned Chief Marshall was a dirty cop.

  “Did you bring me some more water?” she asked with a hoarse voice. “That bottle is almost gone, and I’m thirsty.”

  “I told you there would be no more.” He smiled smugly and tipped the last of his coffee back. “The sooner you tell me what I want to know, the sooner this will be over, Harper.”

  “My father would be disgusted with you, Marshall. He’s probably rolling over in his grave.”

  Marshall shrugged. “What have you done with the evidence against me, Harper?”

  “I don’t know anything about any evidence. How many times do I have to tell you that?”

  “You do know. I don’t know what’s wrong with you Rainiers. I tried to warn your brother to back off by killing his old lady...”

  Harper was instantly nauseous. The chief of the Metro PD, her father’s best friend, had just confessed to killing Harper’s sister-in-law. She’d known Kate wouldn’t have taken her own life. She was devoted to Alex and Olivia and loved them with all her heart and soul.

  “...but he didn’t heed my subtle warning. So, when he walked in on me in that abandoned warehouse, alone, I had to take him out. He knew everything about my drug and illegal dealings and was going to turn me in. Turn me in. He was just a fucking detective. I’m the Chief of fucking Police. He couldn’t touch me.”

  Harper’s thoughts started spinning. She could no longer see straight. Blood pounded in her ears. She could barely hear him over the drumming sound.

  “I was curious when the surveillance team reported to me the daily trips you were making to Metro Nursing Facility, so I decided to check things out for myself. It took some serious computer hacking, but guess what I found? Alex. Funny, with the thousands of dollars you were paying them to keep your little secret, all it took was a fake moustache, a nice suit, and some bullshit story about my being your rich uncle from abroad here to help out, to get confirmation from the director of the home. In case you need help putting two and two together, I finished him off last week. I couldn’t take the chance he might one day regain consciousness.”

  Bile rose in her throat and she swallowed hard, forcing it back down. Marshall had killed Alex.

  “You’re not going to be as dumb as your brother, are you? You see where that got him. Just tell me where the evidence is, and this will all be over.”

  “Go to hell, you dirty cop bastard! I won’t tell you anything!”

  Marshall calmly rose from the chair and strode over to the door. “Tsk, tsk, tsk. What a shame. Well, I’ll leave you alone with your thoughts, Harper. You have a nice day. I’ll try to come by tomorrow, but I’ve got a real busy day planned, watching a certain little girl, and all.”

  All the blood in Harper’s body rushed to her feet. Oh God, no.

  He closed the door behind him and she heard the lock turn, sealing her inside her prison for another day.

  Unable to choke it back any longer, she ran across the cell and retched in the bucket in the corner. Her body trembled uncontrollably as she crawled on all fours back to the steel cot, where she sobbed out her anger and frustration until exhaustion finally overcame her.

  Chapter 24

  At noon, Riley was sitting alone at Harper’s kitchen table drinking his ninth cup of coffee. She’d been gone for two days, and there had been absolutely no word from her. Laughter from the backyard made him wonder how much longer he could keep up the charade. Since her disappearance, he’d barely slept a wink. Though the girls might only be four, they didn’t completely believe him when told Harper was out and they kept missing her calls and visits home.

  His cellphone rang and he fumbled with it, pulling it from the pocket of his jeans. He checked the caller ID before answering. It was Marshall. Riley scowled at the phone. He didn’t need this, not now.

  “Wade, how are you, buddy?” Riley’s voice was syrupy as he put on his game face, answering the call.

  “Hey, Spence. I haven’t heard from you for a few days. How’s the search coming along?” Wade countered with an equally saccharine sweet tone.

  “Yeah, I’m really sorry about that, but with the brother’s death last week, things have been up in the air with the Rainier woman. She’s been an emotional nutcase. You know what I’m saying? We had a huge fight and she even ran out, so it’s not like she’s bei
ng real helpful at the moment,” Riley offered.

  “Yeah, I hear you. Say, you’ve been at it almost two weeks, buddy. Have you turned up anything yet?”

  “Nothing. I’ve torn her fucking house apart, Wade, there isn’t anything there. And I haven’t been able to get anything out of the woman herself. I’m beginning to think maybe she doesn’t know anything.”

  “I’m not so sure about that, Spence. Meet me at the old warehouse on Sanders in an hour. I’ve got a plan.”

  “I’d love to hear it, Wade. I’m on my way.”

  * * * *

  Wade Marshall pulled his cellphone away from Harper’s ear, stepped back and holstered the revolver he’d held to her head.

  That was definitely Riley’s voice. Marshall had told the truth. Riley had been playing her all along. Harper was devastated. He’d used her vulnerability and naiveté and made her look like an absolute fool. She’d been used. She’d been played by a fucking dirty cop.

  Again.

  Chapter 25

  Riley pulled his car to the curb outside the vacant warehouse on Sanders and killed the engine. From the front seat he surveyed the building and area around it. Jesus, he didn’t want to be here. He wanted to find Harper. He wasn’t interested in playing this fucking game with Wade Marshall any longer. The one thing keeping him here was that Wade might know where Harper was. The question was, how deep was Wade--deep enough to know what he needed to find out?

  There had been something telling in Marshall’s voice when they’d spoken that Riley just couldn’t shake. Too bad his mind had been elsewhere at the time, and he hadn’t been able to focus on their conversation. Once this farce of a meeting concluded, he’d sit down and think about the earlier call.

  He stepped out of his car and adjusted his jacket, then strolled to the back door. The door creaked as he pushed it open and again when he shut it behind him. He hesitated, thoroughly taking in his surroundings inside the building. It was empty, save for a few cardboard boxes littering the floor. He spotted one closed door along the back wall and walked toward it.

  “Hey, Wade,” he called out. “You in here, buddy?” Riley turned the handle and pushed the door open.

  “Yeah, Spence, come on in. Welcome to our little party.”

  Riley’s heart stopped when he entered.

  “What in the hell is she doing here?” Riley demanded, horrified at the sight of Harper. She sat on a bare steel cot, in her running clothes.

  The bastard had taken her.

  Her beautiful blond hair was tangled and matted. Her soft skin looked dry and her face pale. Too pale. He struggled to cage his burning rage when he spotted her bleeding and swollen lip.

  By her expression, he knew the chief had told her of his involvement. Riley saw her disgust etched on her frail-looking face.

  “She’s fucked me around long enough. She’s got the information I want, and I’m going to get it.” Marshall’s angry voice split the quiet air.

  Riley furrowed his brows, concentrating on keeping his voice even. “So you’re beating it out of her?”

  “She fell.”

  “You are a lying son of a bitch,” Harper rasped out at Riley.

  His heart thumped wildly in his chest at the sound of both her voice and her words. He spied the chief’s cellphone on the table beside the cot, and knew in that moment Marshall had made Harper listen to their earlier conversation. Guilt ripped him apart. While remaining outwardly impassive, inwardly, his heart ached to grab her to him and assure her everything would be all right. With effort Riley forced the conflicting torment from his mind, steeling himself for the task at hand. He ignored Harper’s glare, refusing to make eye contact with her.

  “I’m sure you don’t need to beat her, Wade. Have you had anything to eat or drink, Harper?” He finally turned toward her.

  Harper spat at him, catching the toe of his shoe.

  “She’s not getting a damned thing until I get what I want!” Marshall hollered.

  Riley mentally calculated and realized Harper probably hadn’t eaten since three nights before when they had their pizza party and movie night.

  Harper jumped at the chief’s voice. Riley admired her strength for having endured what she had so far, but suspected she was nearing the breaking point.

  “Okay, Marshall, What’s your plan?” Riley demanded, turning away from Harper.

  “You’re going to go and get the kid--”

  “No!” Harper shrieked. “Don’t you dare touch her.”

  A tint of pink now colored her pasty cheeks. Riley ignored her outburst, but silently urged her on. Come on, baby, fight for me. Think about the phone call. What was wrong with that conversation?

  “Okay, Wade, I’ll go get the kid. Then what? What do you want me to do with her?”

  “If you touch Olivia, I’ll kill you.” Harper forced herself up and off the cot.

  Riley’s gut twisted when he saw the effort it took her to stand. He wanted to rip Marshall’s head right off his shoulders.

  “Then what?” he repeated to Marshall.

  “You bring the brat back here, and if the bitch still hasn’t told me what I want to know, I’ll shoot the kid.”

  Harper gasped and dropped to the floor.

  It took every ounce of willpower Riley possessed not to run and comfort her. Even more not to pull out his gun and shoot the son of a bitch in front of him. His heart broke as he watched Harper fight the will to succumb.

  “Go get the kid,” Marshall ordered Riley.

  Riley turned on his heel and headed for the door. Now what the hell was he going to do? There was no way he was going to bring Olivia back here, and leaving Harper wasn’t an option. By the time Riley reached the door, the thumping in his chest was painful. He’d broken out into a cold sweat.

  “I’ll tell you.” Her whisper halted him dead in his tracks.

  “What was that, Harper?” Marshall asked.

  Riley stepped over to the cot and observed the broken woman on the floor before him. His broken woman. The love of his life, that he’d had a hand in torturing. She would never forgive him for this, he was sure of it. Hell, he wasn’t sure he’d ever forgive himself.

  “I’ll tell you where to find what you’re looking for. Everything. Alex’s notes, the audio tapes, the reports, all of it.” She looked first at Marshall, then at him.

  This had to play out perfectly. He only had one shot at making this work.

  “Where am I going to find the evidence?” Riley asked.

  Harper glared at him with the same hatred he’d received that first night at the club. He never wanted her to look at him that way again. Yet here they were, once again on opposing sides.

  “There is a jewelry box on the top shelf in Olivia’s room. It’s a small ceramic piece with yellow and pink roses painted on the lid. Inside is a key to a safe deposit box, number one hundred and thirteen, at Metro First National. The password to give the teller is...Olivia.”

  “You’ve got one hour, Spence,” Marshall charged.

  “Make it two. I need traveling time, buddy.”

  * * * *

  Harper’s heart split in two and her stomach lurched as Riley smiled at Marshall. Moments before she’d tried so hard to read his expression, but his face showed no emotion. His lips were drawn into a thin, tight line, and his beautiful blue eyes were blank and empty. Studying his cold expression, Harper could see no trace of the man she’d fallen in love with, had made love to, and was so sure she’d wanted to spend the rest of her life with.

  He was gone.

  Or maybe he’d never truly existed.

  If she made it out of this alive--and she would fight Marshall to her dying breath--she was packing up Olivia and getting as far away from Riley Spence as she could. She couldn’t forget about poor Zandra. How could she get the girl away from her uncle, the monster?

  She needed a plan if she was going to escape. Escape was her only chance of survival, because she was certain Marshall would kill her once R
iley returned with the evidence against him.

  Think, damn it.

  Something was wrong though, something she was missing. She couldn’t shake the niggling sensations making her hair stand on end. There was something about the phone call and the way Riley acted toward Marshall. But she was too exhausted and ill from dehydration to think clearly.

  It was over.

  This was the final betrayal to her brother’s memory, his family.

  Her family.

  She had done all she could.

  She’d lost, and finally given in to the dirty Chief of Metro PD.

  * * * *

  Riley willed his strength to Harper as he pulled the office door closed. Leaving her behind was the hardest thing he’d ever done.

  The sound of his shoes slapping against the cement floor echoed in the empty warehouse as he thundered toward the door and barreled through it. The sooner he retrieved the evidence, the sooner he’d be back to rescue Harper, and arrest Marshall.

  From his pocket he pulled out his keys and pressed the unlock button on the remote as he launched himself at his car. Instead of wasting precious seconds running around the car, he slid across the hood on his ass. Once inside, he shoved the key into the ignition and turned over the engine. Before the motor idled down, he slammed the shifter into first gear and stomped on the gas pedal. The tires squealed as he sped away from the building.

  “Did you get that?” He spoke to the emptiness surrounding him. “A small trinket box on the top shelf in Olivia’s room. I’ll meet you at First National in ten minutes.”

  Chapter 26

  Two hours later, Riley strolled back into the office where Marshall held Harper hostage.

  He swaggered in without a care or concern, a broad, satisfied grin spread across his gorgeous face, and a small manila envelope tucked under his arm. Harper wanted to slap the smug look right off Riley’s face.

  “Here it is, buddy. Everything. All right here,” he said, tapping the envelope with his hand.