Random Acts of Deceit (Holly Anna Paladin Mysteries Book 2)

by Christy Barritt

  “Of course.” I wasn’t going to argue. I’d known it wasn’t a good idea when I went out. I’d known that if Chase found out, he wouldn’t approve. None of this was a surprise.

  He knelt down in front of me. “I thought I’d lost you once already. I can’t let that happen again. Please tell me you won’t ever do anything like this again. Please.”

  I nodded. “I’ll do my best. But I’m just trying to make sure everyone I love is safe.”

  ***

  The police let me go thirty minutes later after I signed a statement confirming my side of the story. If all went well, I’d get my money back sometime next week. The good news was that at least I’d get the cash back and would eventually be able to give it to Kim.

  Henry was being held, and he was probably facing charges. I was anxious for more details to be released from his perspective. What had he been thinking? Could he fill in any of these blanks?

  Chase drove me back to my car, which was still parked downtown. Silence crackled between us during the ride. Finally, we pulled up beside my Mustang. He put his sedan into park and turned toward me.

  At once, I forgot about my problems. I remembered the hit that was out on local police officers. I remembered those who’d already been injured at the riots. The gravity of the situation hit me at full force.

  “Be careful out there.” My words came out almost as a croak.

  “I will,” he said. He leaned toward me, and his lips brushed mine. The hazy look in his eyes made my stomach do somersaults.

  He let out a deep breath and pressed his forehead into mine. “I’ve got to go.”

  I wanted to tell him I loved him, but the words wouldn’t leave my lips. Those stupid rules of etiquette that had been so ingrained in me now prevented me from saying anything. The guidelines were supposed to help me, not hinder me.

  “Good-bye, Chase,” I said instead.

  I climbed into my car and cranked the engine. Chase didn’t move until I backed out and started down the street.

  As I waited at a traffic light, my phone buzzed. Dread filled me. There was only one person I could imagine would be texting me at three in the morning.

  My suspicions were correct: it was the Shadow Man.

  Next time lives will be lost. You’ve been warned.

  My heart squeezed. I just couldn’t shake this guy, could I?

  As I continued down the road, something began nagging at the back of my mind. I paused and squeezed my eyes shut for just a second. What was it? Something just begged for my attention.

  As I reviewed everything it might be, my mind stopped at the Arnold Pegman trial. I thought about the theory that this was all connected with the prosecution, with someone associated with Arnold who wanted to fix the trial and ensure he wasn’t convicted.

  But I already knew all that. Some new piece of information wanted to make itself evident.

  That’s when it hit me. I’d gotten a letter from someone in the community. They’d begged Ralph to plead to the governor in favor of Arnold Pegman.

  It wasn’t unusual. People wrote to senators all the time, trying to get their endorsement or asking legislators to urge the governor on their behalf for a pardon or any number of other things. In this case, there was absolutely nothing we could do, even if we wanted to, because the man hadn’t been convicted yet.

  But what if that person, who knew I was related to Alex, had gotten angry when we hadn’t responded to his request? What if he decided to take matters into his own hands?

  I had to get into the office, despite the riots. And I had to find out that person’s name.

  If I had a name, I could put an end to this once and for all.

  It was a gamble. I’d told Chase I wouldn’t do anything like this, but the benefits outweighed the risks. I had to do something!

  The parking lot closest to Ralph’s office was also closest to the riots. This was going to be tricky, but I hoped I could manage it.

  I was definitely wading through waters and fire, and I prayed desperately that God would be with me despite my stupidity.

  My hand shook as I locked my car and stepped into the great unknown. My heels clacked on the sidewalk. I could hear the chaos of the riots. Smoke hung in the air, and violence seemed to sizzle in the atmosphere. I could see the police line. I could see cops forming a human barricade. Was Chase there?

  Please be with him, I prayed silently.

  I skirted away from that area and headed toward Ralph’s office. The plan had come to me quickly, but I had a good idea of how to get where I needed to be while avoiding the protests.

  I glanced at the building I’d just passed. If I could get inside, I could cut through the hallways there, go through a couple of alleys, and get into Ralph’s office through a back entrance.

  If I wanted to end this madness, I had to find that name. It wasn’t on my computer. It had been a handwritten letter, and it was in my desk.

  That’s when I remembered my promise to Chase. I’d told him I wouldn’t do something like this. I’d promised him.

  What was I supposed to do, though? I had to get to the office somehow. I took a step back when a hand covered my mouth.

  At once, my life flashed before my eyes.

  CHAPTER 30

  I froze, waiting to see what the man behind me would do next. Would he pull a knife? Drag me into a car? Shoot me?

  Then I realized I had to take action instead of feeling immobilized. At once, I swung my leg back and kicked, thrashing with all my might. I had to fight until I got away.

  As I jammed my elbow back, the man’s grip loosened just enough for me to slip away from him. Fighting back had worked!

  I twirled around, raised my hands like I might throw a right hook, and spotted . . . Chase?

  “I could have been a killer,” he growled, his jaw clenched.

  My mouth dropped open. “You did that to make a point?”

  “You better believe I did. I just dropped you off at your car. You promised to stay out of trouble, and now you’re here? What are you thinking?”

  “I have a very good explanation,” I stated.

  His hands were on his hips. He wore a bulletproof vest, and a gun was slung across his back. He almost looked like he was going to war. But he said nothing. He just waited.

  I sighed in resignation. “I remembered a letter I received. It’s in the office. It could hold the answers to this whole mess. I have to find it.”

  “By yourself? In the middle of riots? Have you lost your mind?” He looked outraged, and I couldn’t blame him.

  “Maybe I have lost my mind,” I conceded. “I’m desperate.”

  “Where is this letter again?”

  “In my desk, in one of my drawers.”

  He let out another sigh. “I’ll get it.”

  I shook my head. “You won’t find it. I can’t give you a name or even a specific file drawer to look in. I’m the only one who can get it.”

  ‘Then you’ll have to wait until the riots are over.” His voice didn’t leave any room for argument, but that didn’t stop me.

  “I can’t wait that long. Someone could get hurt before then. Someone could die.” The last word hung in the air. I wanted to snatch it back, but I couldn’t, and it was better that way. I’d spoken the truth, no matter how painful it was to hear.

  He stared at me, and I could see the tension on his features. Finally, he grasped my arm and led me away from the police line.

  “I’ll take you down there, but at the first sign of trouble, we’re turning around. Understand?”

  I nodded, both relieved and apprehensive. I was trading one anxiety for another. But there was no going back now. This whole headache could end. I could live in peace again. The people I loved could be safe.

  Those things made all of this worth the risk.

  Chase kept his hand on my arm as we moved down the dark street at a fast clip. Shouts from the crowds in the distance seemed like an approaching thunderstorm, rumbling closer and cl
oser. This could no doubt be very risky. Would I regret it? Maybe. But when I’d told Chase earlier that I was desperate, I’d been telling the truth.

  “You have a plan for getting to the office?” Chase asked, still unsmiling and uptight.

  “Yes, there are some buildings between here and there that we can cut through. I can show you the way.” I had thought all of that through.

  His hand continued to grip my arm. I had no doubt he wouldn’t let go unless he had to. He didn’t want to do this. He probably shouldn’t do this. But maybe he realized how dire this situation was.

  I pulled open the door to an apartment complex that was under construction. Someone from church worked here, and I’d overheard him say that security here wasn’t tight. Just as I expected, the door easily opened, and we slipped inside. The halls were surprisingly quiet as we started down them. Each echo of our steps in the strangely vacant space around us sent another shiver up my spine.

  “How’d you know I was here?” I asked, moving closer to Chase.

  “I followed you. I wanted to make sure you got home okay. You can imagine my surprise when you didn’t go home.”

  He was aggravated, and I couldn’t blame him. Maybe if I explained things a little bit more . . . “I didn’t plan on this. I was on my way to work on my sister’s wedding cake—”

  “Why were you doing that?”

  “I’m making it for her. Didn’t I mention that?” We really hadn’t had a chance to talk. And when we did talk, it was only about life-or-death matters. Not about the fun stuff that makes relationships unique and story worthy.

  “I can’t say you did.”

  “Well, I am. But then I remembered a letter someone associated with Arnold Pegman sent Ralph. He was begging for leniency for Arnold Pegman and asked for Ralph to step in and intervene in any way possible. What if this person is behind all this? He would know my name and be somehow associated with Arnold Pegman, and he could be trying to leverage our safety for the outcome of the court case. Other than Henry, it’s the best lead I can come up with.”

  “It’s worth a shot.”

  I just loved hearing his voice. I loved how he was always there, by my side, to help me when I needed it. I loved that he felt like my rock.

  That’s why I pulled him to a stop in the dimly lit hallway. His eyes widened with surprise when he looked at me, and, if I guessed correctly, he was worried that something was wrong. Before his thoughts went too far, I reached on my tiptoes and brushed my lips against his.

  We had a thing about kissing—I didn’t want our whole relationship to be about it. Way back when, I’d told myself that I would save my first kiss for my wedding day. Then I’d thought I was dying, and I’d reconnected with Chase, and things had changed.

  I liked ideals, but I didn’t want to be ruled by them.

  So I wrapped my arms around his neck, and I kissed him again. It was tentative at first, but deepened for a moment. His chest was solid against mine, and his arms felt like steel guards around my waist. And for a moment—and just a moment—I forgot my worries.

  But then the moment ended. I pulled back but hesitated to step away. Instead, I rested my head against his chest and felt his heart beat against my palm.

  “What was that for?” Chase murmured.

  I met his gaze, fully aware that my eyes would convey entirely too much for my comfort. Certainly, he’d see my affection for him. There’d be no doubt I was taken with him, given in fully to both my whims and my quest for finding that elusive soul mate whom I couldn’t live without.

  I opened my mouth, but no words came out. What did I even say? How could I possibly express everything on my heart in the brief moment we had together?

  His thumb brushed my jaw. “Never mind. You don’t have to say anything.”

  “Actually, there’s one thing I do want to say. I know you always say you’ll do anything for me. But I’d also do whatever it takes to keep you safe.”

  “I don’t want you to do that, Holly.” His voice was low, husky, and full of emotion. “Call me old-fashioned, but that’s my job.”

  “I can’t live with the thought of anything happening to you.”

  His eyes were dark pools of emotion. I was drawn into the swirls and on the edge of being pulled under when he leaned down and pressed his lips against mine. My heart nearly stopped when I realized I could do this all day and never grow weary.

  Thankfully, Chase pulled back and took my hand. “We should probably go.”

  I nodded, my throat tight. My hormones were surging. It was best if we kept walking.

  Gunfire exploded just as we started toward the outside door.

  CHAPTER 31

  Instinctively Chase pushed me behind him. “You shouldn’t be here.”

  My heart raced even faster as danger seemed to zing through the air and leave it sizzling around us. “I don’t have a choice at this point.”

  He peered around the corner before grabbing my hand. “Stay with me. Understand?”

  “No questions.”

  He pulled me down the hall and out a back door. We hurried down an alley, my pulse racing with every step. This was dangerous. I felt like I was in a third world country, anywhere but America. Things like this didn’t happen here.

  But it was. And now I was running through a war zone, trying to protect the people I loved while putting myself in danger. I could still smell something burning. People still shouted and chanted, their voices tinged with anger. Somewhere nearby, glass shattered.

  Just as we reached the building where my brother’s office was located, a mob appeared in the street at the end of the alley. Moving quickly, Chase pulled me into the building. We were safer inside where we could take shelter than we were out in the open. He nearly sprinted down the hallway, and I just held on for dear life.

  Finally, we reached the door leading to Ralph’s office complex. With trembling hands I pulled the keys from my pocket and attempted to jam them into the door. After three failed attempts, Chase took them from me and slid the key into the lock. The door popped open.

  We hurried inside, and Chase locked the door behind us. “No lights,” he instructed. “If they know you’re in here, you’ll be a target.”

  “Got it.” I rushed toward my desk and opened the top drawer. Chase pulled out a penlight and shone it on the papers there. Thank goodness he had a source of illumination, because I’d never find the letter without it in this dark space.

  My skin crawled as I heard the crowds outside. They were right outside the building. It would be too easy for them to bust through the windows and continue their rampage inside. Destroying a local senator’s office would only help make their point, I supposed—the point that government was corrupt and unjust. At times I was inclined to agree with them, but I still didn’t feel like this was the right way to express their anger. The yin and yang of compassion and logic collided inside me.

  I made it through the first drawer but didn’t find the letter.

  “We don’t have much time, Holly. I need to be out there with my guys.” Chase peered out the window.

  I’d been selfish in asking him to come here. Of course he had an obligation to the guys on the force.

  Trying to move faster, I opened the next drawer and searched through papers and correspondence. Where was that letter? I’d know it when I saw it.

  Just then, the air changed. I could feel it even from inside the office. Something had happened.

  Chase must have felt it too, because his gaze was riveted on the street outside.

  “Tear gas,” he muttered.

  “What?”

  “The police are using tear gas. It was supposed to be a last resort.”

  “What’s happening?”

  “It’s hard to tell, but I think the crowds are retreating. No one wants to be around that stuff, but the effects aren’t permanent. It’s just a deterrent.”

  My fingers continued to flip through folders, but in my haste I feared I was being sloppy. Fi
nally, I found the letter. Hopefully, this held the clue we needed to solve our mystery.

  “Clayton Bridges,” I said as I scanned the words, written in tiny box print, on the ragged-edge paper. “That’s his name.”

  Just as I stood, I heard a stampede of people. They were in the hallway behind us, I realized. And they were rattling the door, trying to get into Ralph’s office.

  I froze.

  If they found Chase in here, a lone police officer, there was no telling what they might do to him. And it would be my fault.

  I saw the tautness in Chase’s jaw, the apprehension in his eyes. Chase was probably thinking the same thing I was.

  He pulled off his vest and handed it to me. “Put this on.”

  I shook my head and backed away. “No way. That’s yours.”

  “You might need it, Holly.”

  “I can’t wear that, Chase.” The words choked in my throat as I realized the implications.

  Before I could argue any more, he draped the vest over my head. “We need to get you somewhere safe, just in case. You know this space better than I do. Any ideas?”

  “Ralph’s personal office!”

  There was a closet there, which would offer two sets of locked doors. That could buy us some time. Just as we stepped into the room, the back door burst open. As crowds flooded inside, the front window broke and gas filled the room.

  Tear gas.

  We were in serious trouble.

  CHAPTER 32

  Chase pulled me into Ralph’s office and slammed the door. Almost immediately, I began to cough. My eyes watered. The next thing I knew, I was in the closet.

  “Pull your sweater over your mouth,” he directed.

  I had little choice but to listen. The next thing I knew, Chase had closed the closet door.

  But he wasn’t inside with me. Darkness was my only companion.

  My heart lurched. Chase? What was he doing? What if this got him killed?

  I sank to the floor and began praying. Praying hard. Praying with everything I had in me.

  I wanted to leave, wanted to help. But I knew if I distracted Chase, then I might only get him hurt or even killed. I needed to listen to him, even if I hated myself for having to cower here.