The Triple Threat Collection

by Lis Wiehl

  Exultation sang in her veins. All she had to do was pull the trigger and Maul would be dead. She wanted it more than she’d ever wanted anything in her life. Her vision narrowed so that only his face filled it. His fierce gaze locked with hers.

  He deserved to die.

  The trigger was under her finger. The weight of the gun felt good in her hand. She would end this thing—right here, right now, with a single pull. Maul’s heart would cease beating, his mind would stop its twisted fiendish plotting, his tongue would no longer be a restless evil.

  But when Allison looked into his burning eyes, it was like looking into her own. The same rage consumed them both. They were different sides of the same coin.

  But justice wasn’t in her hands any more than it was in his. She wasn’t God.

  Something like a smile stretched across Maul’s face. “Go ahead,” he said. “Do it. Do it for Cassidy. Do it for Lindsay. I killed them. And I enjoyed every second of it.”

  The anger surged back. She saw Cassidy shoved under the kitchen sink like garbage, heard Lindsay’s last breaths.

  “Do it!” he shouted. His fingers closed on her throat, trying to force her to pull the trigger. With her free hand, Allison clawed at her neck, trying to pry his fingers loose. A line burned across her neck and then her necklace snapped. The silver cross went flying into the darkness behind him.

  Her father had put that necklace around her neck. Now Maul had taken it away. In pursuit of what he thought was justice, Lucas Maul had killed Cassidy and Lindsay and shot Nicole. Justice meted out by him. Outside of any court of law.

  But Allison had taken an oath to faithfully discharge the duties of her office. And those duties were to be a prosecutor. Not judge. Not jury. Not executioner. No matter how much she wanted it. No matter how much Maul wanted it too.

  “Sorry,” Allison said, and stepped back as Nicole pushed the nose of her gun between Maul’s shoulder blades, ordering him to put his hands on top of his head. “Whether you live or die is not for me to decide.”

  Ophelia ran up, breathing heavily.

  “Cuff him for me,” Nicole said to Ophelia, taking the handcuffs from her belt. Maul put his hands behind his back without protest. All the fight seemed to have gone out of him.

  “Oh, Nic.” Allison’s voice caught. “I thought you were dead too.”

  “Thank God for whoever invented Kevlar.” Nicole smiled. “I’m pretty sure I’ve got a few cracked ribs, and I definitely had the wind knocked out of me.” She had to raise her voice because a dozen vehicles—police cars, unmarked vehicles, and an ambulance—were now pulling up outside of the amusement park, sirens wailing. “But cracked ribs sure beat the alternative.”

  Cracked ribs or no cracked ribs, Allison knew that as soon as Maul was safely in custody she was giving Nicole a huge hug.

  Maybe Ophelia too, if she would allow it.

  CHAPTER 40

  When the hostess at the Laurelhurst Market led the three women to their table, Ophelia chose to sit with her back to the crowd. Allison made a mental note that next time they should look for a quieter venue.

  “Did you ever go to this restaurant with Cassidy?” Ophelia asked as she opened her menu.

  “No,” Allison said, feeling a momentary pang.

  “What would Cassidy have ordered if she were here?”

  There was no sense in asking why Ophelia wanted to know, Allison was beginning to realize. Ophelia was Ophelia, and her reasons made sense to her.

  Allison looked over the menu. “Probably the flat iron steak and the roasted potatoes with black garlic butter and hazelnuts.” Cassidy had always been tempted by rich food, happily ignoring calorie counts and cholesterol. “She used to say, ‘Sin now, Spin class later.’ ”

  “Then I’ll have the beet salad with chevre.” Ophelia closed the menu with a snap.

  Nicole raised an eyebrow. “Are you a vegetarian?”

  Laurelhurst Market was known for its steaks and chops.

  “No. I just don’t want you to think I’m trying to take Cassidy’s place.”

  “You can’t,” Nicole said, and Allison winced. But then Nicole leaned forward and said, “And that’s okay. You may not be like anyone else I know, but like my mama says, ‘God don’t make no junk.’ ”

  Ophelia busied herself lining up her silverware. “I know it will sound wrong, but if Cassidy hadn’t died, I wouldn’t have met you guys. And you have changed my life.”

  “What do you mean?” Allison asked.

  “When I started school, I was good at reading and math. In fact, I was better than anyone else. But after a while I realized that everyone else had friends and I didn’t.” Ophelia raised her head and shot each of them a darting glance. A rare smile transformed her face, making her suddenly beautiful. “Now I do.”

  “Thank you,” Nicole murmured.

  Allison touched the spot above her heart. “Well, I’ve learned a lot from you too, Ophelia.”

  She nodded. “Yeah, I think you probably did.”

  Allison tried hard not to laugh, but then she met Nicole’s eyes, and it was all over for both of them.

  She expected Ophelia to shrink back, but instead she said, “Sorry. I think I was inappropriately blunt just now. I’m not good with praise.” She looked down at her hands. “I know that I’m different from other people. But you two don’t seem to mind.”

  “Everyone’s a little bit different once you get to know them,” Allison said. “Your differences are just more visible than most people’s.”

  “Maybe, but you two are different too.”

  “What do you mean?” Nicole asked.

  “The way you work together. Other people have to talk things through, but you two can accomplish something together saying hardly a word. All it takes are a few glances and some body language, and all of a sudden you have a common purpose. I admire that, but I’ll probably never be able to do it. I know you take it for granted, but it’s really amazing.”

  Allison had never considered it, but it was true that she and Nicole could say volumes without speaking.

  The waiter took their order. When Nicole handed back the menu, Allison spotted something glinting on the finger of her left hand.

  “What is that?” Allison held out her own hand, palm up.

  Nicole ducked her head so that Allison couldn’t see her expression. Without speaking, she slowly put her left hand in Allison’s.

  What Allison had glimpsed was a small but sparkling diamond set on a plain gold ring.

  “It appears to be an engagement ring,” Ophelia said.

  “It’s beautiful.” Allison gave Nicole’s cool fingers a squeeze and then released them. “Congratulations. You couldn’t do any better than Leif.”

  Nicole blinked rapidly and then turned her eyes up to the ceiling. Biting her lip, she held herself still, keeping her unblinking eyes wide open.

  Ophelia glanced up, looking puzzled.

  “Why are you crying?” Allison asked.

  “I’m not crying.” Nicole dropped her gaze and looked at Allison. “At least I’m trying not to. It’s just that I know Cassidy would have noticed first thing, even if I hid my hand behind my back. She would have grabbed my hand the minute I walked in the door.”

  “I noticed the ring,” Ophelia objected. “I just didn’t know if it was polite to mention it.”

  “Cassidy would have been so happy for you,” Allison said. And maybe a little bit jealous, but she chose not to say that. Still, she was trying to hold on to all of her memories of Cassidy, to remember the real woman and not some plaster saint, perfect and unmoving.

  “And Cassidy would have noticed that you’re wearing your necklace again,” Nicole said.

  Allison touched the cross gently with her fingertips. “Thanks to you, Ophelia. If you hadn’t found where the cross went when Maul broke the chain, it probably would have been lost forever. And you have no idea how much it means to me.”

  “Sometimes it’s helpful to have an eye
for detail,” Ophelia said.

  The jeweler had suggested replacing the chain, saying it would be impossible to make it perfectly smooth again. There would always be a mended place in the links, he explained, that Allison would feel against her skin even if she couldn’t see it.

  She had refused. The chain was the one her father had given her. And somehow, the mended spot felt right, as if it belonged.

  The waiter approached with their food, and Allison waited until he left before she said, “In a way, I’m lucky Maul broke the chain. He wanted me to kill him. And he has no idea how close I came.” Maul would go to meet his Maker, but in God’s time, not hers.

  “He didn’t want to go back to prison,” Ophelia said. “He wanted to die a free man.” She lifted her fork and took a tentative nibble of her salad.

  “I don’t know,” Allison said slowly, thinking of the expression in Maul’s eyes. “I think it was more than that. I think he wanted to turn me into himself. He wanted to show me that there wasn’t any line between us. And he nearly succeeded.”

  “But he didn’t,” Nicole said.

  “It was close,” Allison said. “Too close.”

  The waiter returned and leaned in. “And how’s your food, ladies?”

  Ophelia said, “I realized I don’t like goat cheese that much.”

  “Oh.” He paused. “Um, would you like to order something else?”

  “How about some of those black butter roasted potatoes?”

  “Sure.”

  Later, when they were handed the dessert menus, Ophelia looked at hers and said, “Do you want to split the chocolate mousse cake with roasted pistachio ice cream?”

  “I thought you said that sharing was a good way to spread germs,” Nicole said.

  “I’ve been rethinking that.” Ophelia set her menu down. “There’s something called the hygiene hypothesis. It says that when people have an overly sanitary lifestyle, their immune system doesn’t get enough practice fighting off bacteria and viruses. As a result, it tends to overreact by having allergic reactions to harmless substances like pollen. Scientists think it might explain why there are more allergies now.”

  “So?” Nicole asked.

  “So what it means is that by allowing your immune system to be challenged occasionally you might actually strengthen it.”

  “So you’re saying we should make it one dessert and three forks?” Allison asked.

  Ophelia nodded. “Exactly.”

  And when the cake came, Allison raised her water glass. “To old friends—and new.”

  “Here, here!” Nicole said, raising her wine glass.

  And with a grin, Ophelia followed suit.

  READING GROUP GUIDES

  from Face of Betrayal

  1. At its heart, Face of Betrayal is about three friends who love each other—and their work. Do you have any friendships like that?

  2. When the book opens, the man Allison prosecuted for hiring some-one to kill his wife is sentenced. He had hired a hit man to kill his wife. Should hiring a hit man carry the same penalty as committing murder yourself?

  3. When Katie disappears, her parents work to get attention from the media and law enforcement. Do you think that if a girl disappeared who wasn’t white or upper class, or whose parents weren’t as savvy, the case would get as much media attention? If not, is there anything that can be done about it?

  4. Allison has been trying for two years to get pregnant. Do you know people who have struggled with infertility?

  5. Nicole works with the FBI’s Innocent Images to catch online pedophiles. Do you think the Internet has led to an increase in the number of pedophiles, or that it has simply given them new tools?

  6. Cassidy is a spiritual seeker. Do you know women like her?

  7. Katie’s parents were unaware of her MySpace page. If you have kids, do you let them have a MySpace or Facebook page? Do you monitor it? Why or why not? Is it snooping for parents to look through their kids’ e-mails? Is it any different than reading letters that they get in the mail?

  8. Nicole has to send her daughter to live with Nic’s parents while the case is at a fever pitch. Is it possible to hold a demanding job and still be a good mother? Do we ask the same question of fathers? Should we?

  9. As a black woman working in a white man’s world, Nicole feels she has to be twice as good to be treated as an equal. Do you think there still is a double standard for race? For sex?

  10. Cassidy’s station devotes a lot of resources to the story of the missing Senate intern. Do you think TV news is catering more and more to sensationalism and celebrities and doing fewer in-depth, well-researched stories? Has the way you get your news changed in the past few years?

  11. In desperation, Katie’s parents contact a woman who says she can get in touch with Katie’s spirit. Do you think there are people who really have such powers?

  12. Allison knows that domestic violence accounts for more injuries to women in America than heart attacks, cancer, strokes, car wrecks, muggings, and rapes combined. Do you know anyone who has been affected by domestic violence? Have you ever tried to help someone you suspected was being abused?

  13. Senator Fairview is revealed to be a man who lies, cheats, and rationalizes. Do you think it’s possible to be a politician while still retaining your principles? Or does “power corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely,” as Lord Acton said?

  from Hand of Fate

  (Warning! This guide contains spoilers.)

  1. Are there certain functions, such as ensuring the safety of our food supply, that require more government regulation to keep us safe? Or are we in danger of becoming a nanny state, as Jim charges?

  2. Jim Fate chooses to stay in his studio, rather than risk his coworkers’ lives. Do you think you could have done that if you were in his shoes? Or do you think that one never knows how one will react until the moment happens?

  3. Have you ever been in in a situation where people were panicking? Rudyard Kipling wrote, “If you can keep your head when all about you/Are losing theirs . . . you’ll be a Man, my son?” How hard was it to keep your head?

  4. It’s been nine years since the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Do you think people have grown more complacent thinking that it won’t happen again?

  5. Do you have a strong friendship with a small group of people the way Cassidy, Allison and Nicole do? Or do you think that kind of close friendship is too hard to maintain in today’s hectic world, with the pull of work, school, and family?

  6. Cassidy becomes addicted to a sleeping aid, called Somulex in the book. Do you think our society has become too reliant on drugs to help with common problems like sleeplessness or anxiety? Have we made it too easy for people to get drugs?

  7. In Hand of Fate, the city of Portland is on the brink of a huge disaster. Have you made any family preparations in case of a disaster? What are two or three things you could do to be prepared in case you had to shelter in your home for several days? Have you made plans for what to do in case you are not with your family when a disaster hits?

  8. Many children are born in America to parents who entered the country illegally. Obviously these babies have no say in where they are born. Does automatically conferring citizenship make our country stronger or weaker? Is America a melting pot, a salad bowl, or something else entirely? What about children who are brought to this country as toddlers or small children? They may have no familiarity with their “home” country, but still face deportation.

  9. Like Allison, many Americans do not speak a second language. Only one in four Americans can speak a second language well enough to carry on a conversation. English has become the default second language in most parts of the world. Do you think it hurts Americans if they can’t speak another language? Many high schools require two years of a language as a graduation requirement. Do you think that’s a good idea?

  10. Does listening to talk radio make you anxious or energized? Has the country become too polarized, with arguments verging
on the extreme on both sides?

  11. As an African American woman in the FBI, Nicole often feels like she’s a double minority. Has there ever been a time when you felt out of place? Why? What did you do about it? Have you ever seen someone feeling out of place in a group? What did you do to make them feel welcome?

  12. Do you think that the twenty-four hour news cycle has been detrimental, focusing on fleeting, unimportant stories? Or does it bring to light problems that were previously ignored, or help solve crimes, such as in the case of the kidnapped Elizabeth Smart?

  13. Some think that political campaigns have moved too far away from the issues to focus on exterior, unimportant things like unflattering photographs of candidates looking crazy or overweight. What do you think? If a campaign focused only on truthfully reporting the issues, could it succeed?

  14. Jim gets hate mail every day, mostly via e-mail. Do you think e-mail has made people less civil? Or is it that words can sound harsher when delivered in an e-mail? Have you ever had a misunderstanding due to an e-mail being taken in a different way than it was meant?

  15. Cassidy goes on air to talk about her experiences with domestic violence. Do you think people are still reluctant to speak openly about domestic violence? Have you tried to help someone who was in a violent relationship? Was your help welcome?

  16. Allison has to deal with the loss of a pregnancy. Have you ever had to deal with a loss that seemed unbearable? What was it and how did you deal with it?

  from Heart of Ice

  1. The prosecutor in Elizabeth’s first trial (when she is a teenager) says that harsh sentences deter teens from committing similar crimes. Considering the teens you know or have met, do you think that is true for most teens?

  2. What should the primary purpose of the justice system be: punishment, deterrence, rehabilitation, or the protection of future victims? How important are the other aspects? Is our current justice system accomplishing that?