Deadly Charade

by Virna DePaul

  “But you knew he got it from Club Matrix. And you know who’s peddling it now, don’t you?”

  “I don’t know him,” she said. “I don’t know his name. But—”

  “But what?” he said calmly. Almost numbly. Which was exactly how he felt. Numb. Not like himself. But who was he really?

  “But I know who might,” she said.

  He felt a spark of something ignite inside him. Excitement? Hope? “Who?”

  “Linda.”

  * * *

  Linda sat in her office with her boss sitting across from her, but her mind was still on Tony. She’d hated leaving him in that hospital room. Knew that guilt was eating away at him. But he was right. She’d needed to get back to work. To her life. She just hoped she’d be able to convince him that she wanted him to be part of it.

  “What a mess,” Norm Peterson said. “But I have to say, I’m glad for you, Linda. We’ll contact that reporter as soon as things are squared away. Being involved with an undercover cop posing as a drug dealer is going to be a lot better for your judicial campaign than being involved with a drug addict.”

  “He is a drug addict,” she said. “Whether he’s a cop or not, that hasn’t changed. But...”

  Norm cocked a brow. “But?”

  “But I have. At least, I’ve changed my mind about running for judge. I’m going to withdraw my name from consideration.”

  Norm sighed. “Because you’re going to stay with him?”

  “No. I mean—I want to stay with him. I hope he wants to stay with me. I hope we can make a relationship between us work this time. But if I have any chance of making that happen, I can’t be concerned about my reputation and I can’t expose my private business or Tony’s to the public, especially given what he does for a living. I also...I also can’t expose my father’s private business to the public, either.”

  “We already talked about this before you ever put your name in for the bench. So long as you disavow your father, your campaign shouldn’t be negatively affected by his past mistakes.”

  “I know. But I don’t know if I want to disavow my father any longer. I’ve made some calls about seeing him. I want to talk to him and see what kind of possibilities exist there, too. I’m sorry if that disappoints you.”

  Norman stared at her for a few seconds, then smiled and rose. “It doesn’t disappoint me, Linda. You’re a great attorney. One I’m proud to have working for me. You do what you need to. Judge or no judge, I’ll be behind you.” He reached out a hand and she shook it.

  “Thank you, Norm.”

  When he was gone, Linda sighed and picked up the phone. Twenty minutes later she had an appointment to see her father in prison. She really hoped Tony meant what he’d said about being willing to go with her, because she was planning on taking him up on his offer. Somehow, knowing Tony would be by her side made her feel as if she could face anything.

  Linda rose, exited her office and was on her way to the watercooler when she saw Allie just leaving the main office and heading into the lobby. She hadn’t talked to the other woman since Allie had caught Linda and Tony having sex at Club Matrix. She supposed she should get that first awkward conversation over with.

  Quickly Linda made her own way to the lobby. “Allie,” she called just as the younger woman was stepping out the back entrance to the parking lot.

  The law student held the door open as Linda followed her out.

  * * *

  Tony stared at Justine and said “You’re sure you saw the man who gave you Rapture before? In the courthouse when I was arraigned? And after I was released on bail?”

  “I’m sure, Tony. He flirted with me both times. And then when I went to Club Matrix that night, when I was so angry with you for disappearing with Linda, he flirted with me again. He wanted to have sex with me. And when I jokingly said I’d do it if he gave me some Rapture...well, he had it. He gave it to me. We used it together. And then he said he knew who you were, and that if you were interested in paying him, he could arrange for you to get more.”

  “I was at Club Matrix, Justine. I saw one of Linda’s coworkers there. But he has dark hair. You said this guy is blond.”

  “That’s right. Blond. Handsome. Cocky. Annoying as hell. I swear, if he pointed his finger at me like a gun one more time, I was going to bite it off. I—”

  “Pointed his finger like a gun?” Tony echoed. And just like that, he had a vision of himself sitting in his car, watching Linda and Neil Christoffersen talking as another man appeared and made the very gesture Justine was talking about. It could be coincidence, of course, but—

  Tony stood and walked to the door.

  “Tony? Wait! Where are you going?”

  Pausing at the doorway, he looked back at Justine. He was still angry with her, but mostly he felt sorry for her.

  “I—I remembered something. And I need to make a phone call.”

  “But you’re going to come back, aren’t you? You still love me, don’t you?”

  It should have been easy for him to lie. To say he loved her. But he couldn’t. He loved Linda, and he refused to diminish those feelings for her by saying the words to this woman. So he said what he could. “I don’t know what’s going to happen, Justine, but you’ve done the right thing by telling me what you know. Thank you for that.”

  Chapter 31

  As Tony drove to the District Attorney’s Office, he tried calling Linda, but she didn’t answer her phone, not her office phone or her cell. He tried again, this time calling the receptionist, who put him on hold. When the woman came back on the line, she said she couldn’t find her.

  “What about Neil Christoffersen?” he asked. “Is he there?”

  “One minute.”

  A few seconds later Christoffersen answered his phone.

  “This is Tony Cooper. I need you to answer this question for me. It’s important. Life or death important, and I’ll explain later. Do you understand?”

  After a brief pause Christoffersen said, “Fine. But if I answer, it’s because Linda trusts you. Not because I do.”

  “A few weeks ago, before I was arrested, Linda was eating her lunch outside. You joined her. You were both sitting on a bench when a blond man stopped to talk to you. He made a gesture, pointing his finger like a gun, and when he left, you both laughed about it. Do you remember?”

  “How do you know all this?” the other man growled. “Were you—”

  “Do you remember?” Tony interrupted.

  “Yeah, I remember.”

  “The blond man. Does he work with you?”

  “Damn it, tell me why—”

  “Does he?” Tony shouted.

  “Yes he does,” Christoffersen shouted right back. “Now tell me why you want to know.”

  “Because I have an eyewitness who says this man gave her Rapture while they were both at Club Matrix.”

  “Rapture. While he was at Club Matrix,” Christoffersen echoed. “Oh, my God.”

  “What is it?” Tony asked, catching the peculiar tone in the other man’s voice. The tone that sounded almost like acceptance. “You were there. Was this man there, too?”

  “He was there the same night I saw you and Linda. He was the one who invited Allie and me to the club. He said it was his new favorite hangout. After we saw you there, I left. But they stayed. He stayed.”

  “What’s his name?” Tony asked. “Is he there now?”

  “His name is Brian Heald,” Christoffersen said. “And is he here now? I don’t know. Hang on while I check.”

  “Wait—” Tony shouted, wanting to tell the man to look for Linda instead.

  But Christoffersen had already put him on hold.

  Tony drove faster, cursing steadily until Christoffersen came back on the line.

 
“He called in sick. He’s not here.”

  Tony felt a moment of relief. “Linda. Have you seen her?”

  “She was in her office a while ago, but when I went looking for Heald, she was gone. Her cell was on her desk.”

  * * *

  “Hey, Linda,” Allie said as the door closed behind them. “How are you?”

  Linda couldn’t help it. The fact that Allie had seen Linda and Tony having sex in a public club made her face burn. She forced herself, however, to appear unconcerned. “I’m good, Allie. How are you?”

  Allie shrugged. “I’ve been better. Look, I’m glad you stopped me. I’ve been meaning to call you and tell you...you don’t have to be embarrassed about what happened at Club Matrix. I don’t think any less of you. Okay?”

  Without waiting for Linda’s reply, Allie started walking again, obviously heading to her car.

  Linda thought about the other woman’s words. She should be relieved, shouldn’t she? Part of her was. What she’d done had been reckless and it wasn’t something she planned on repeating anytime soon, if ever. But she also found it a little odd that Allie would bring it up. Once again, she fell into step beside the law student.

  “Do you go to that place often, Allie?”

  Allie stopped beside her car, a little white Cabriolet, and shook her head. “No. That was the first time I’d been there. Neil, too.”

  “Are you two dating?”

  Allie blushed. “I wish. Neil’s not interested in me. But you already know that, don’t you? Since he’s interested in you,” she said with a twist of her mouth. “I told Brian his plan wouldn’t work.”

  Brian?

  Brian-The-Jerk-Heald?

  Linda sucked in a breath. “What do you mean?”

  Allie unlocked her car and pulled open the driver’s side door. She blew a strand of hair out of her face. “He goes to Club Matrix all the time. He went even before his wife left him. It’s probably the reason she left to begin with. Anyway, he’s the one who told me about it. He invited Neil and me to get some drinks there. Neil thought it was to celebrate Brian’s divorce, but Brian was really trying to get the two of us together. Because he knows how I feel about Neil.”

  Linda narrowed her eyes. “Did he try to do you any other favors while you were there, Allie?”

  Allie averted her gaze. “I—I—I don’t know what you mean.”

  Realization made Linda’s skin crawl. “Yes, you do. Did Brian try to give you anything while you were at the club? Drugs. Rapture. Did you take it?”

  Allie flushed, giving Linda her answer.

  “Oh, Allie, no.”

  “I’m sorry,” she blurted out. She looked around as if wanting to make sure no one else could hear their conversation. “I know I shouldn’t have. But Neil was so pissed off after he saw you and Tony. And I was upset. And Brian was there and he offered me something and I thought it would be just like taking a drink. That I’d just give it a try, you know?”

  “Have you done it since then?”

  Allie shook her head. “No, I swear, Linda. It was just the one time. I mean, Brian’s kept offering but—”

  “Shut up!”

  Linda and Allie whirled and gasped in unison.

  Brian Heald stood next to them.

  But he didn’t look like the Brian Heald Linda knew.

  He looked frazzled. And dirty. And crazed.

  And he had a gun pointed straight at them.

  “You,” Linda said to Brian. “You’re the supplier Tony’s been looking for.”

  Brian laughed. “I’m not a supplier, Linda. I’m just a user. And occasionally, a dealer, only I usually trade in sex not money. Unfortunately I picked the wrong person to deal to, didn’t I?”

  “Justine,” Linda said.

  Grinning, Brian said, “Bingo.” Then his grin was replaced by a scowl. “I was hoping I’d get lucky and she’d die before they got her to the hospital, but that didn’t happen, did it?”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about—” Linda began.

  Brian shouted, “Give it a rest. I know, Linda. I know Tony Cooper’s a cop. I was on my way to pay Justine another visit when I saw Tony there. With an undercover cop. Ash Yee. He’s testified in my cases before. You can imagine how freaked out I’ve been, imagining what Justine’s been telling him. Wondering if she’s told the police enough to implicate me. But you’d know, wouldn’t you? You’ve been to the hospital. So tell me. What do they know?”

  “You’re crazy.” She glanced at Allie. “Get out of here, Allie.”

  “I don’t think so,” Brian said. “Fine. You won’t tell me on your own? Then I’ll have to make you tell me.” He waved the gun at them. “Get in the car, Allie. Behind the wheel. Linda, get in the passenger seat. We’re going for a little drive.”

  “No,” Linda said, trying to sound firm when she was scared out of her mind. There was no way she was getting in that car with him. Doing so would be a death sentence.

  Brian narrowed his eyes. “Now, Linda. Or I’ll shoot you both right here.”

  “With our coworkers inside?” Linda asked. “You’re going to shoot us? Kill us?”

  “I’m going to do whatever I have to do, Linda. Make no mistake about that. Now do it or I’ll shoot Allie in the head right now.”

  Allie whimpered and Linda said, “It’s okay, Allie. Do what he says.”

  They watched as Allie slid behind the wheel and shut the door.

  Brian kept his gun trained on Linda. “Now you. Go around to the other side.”

  Slowly she walked toward the passenger door. As she did, she kept a close eye on Brian. He was swaying on his feet, obviously either sick or under the influence of something. She wondered if it was Rapture and, if so, why the damn stuff hadn’t yet killed him the way it had Rory and the way it had almost killed Justine.

  “Is this why your wife left you? Because you’re a drug user slash dealer slash man whore?”

  “Shut up, Linda, and open the door.”

  Linda reached for the passenger door and opened it. As she did, she saw Brian frown. She almost wanted to laugh.

  The Cabriolet was a two door.

  If he was going to get in the backseat in order to hold a gun on them, he’d have to do it before she got in the car.

  “This is ridiculous, Brian. Why don’t you get out of here? Get a head start on the police.”

  “Shut up!” he screamed before he winced and grabbed at his head with his free hand. “You and your damn boyfriend. And here I thought he was just like me. A drug addict.”

  Linda lifted her chin. “He is a recovering drug addict. But he’s nothing like you. Nothing,” she spat. She glanced at Allie, who looked teary eyed and helpless.

  Brian turned, placing his back to the open passenger door. “Don’t try anything,” he warned. “I’ll shoot if you or Allie make a wrong move. I’m going to get in first, then you’re next.”

  He eased back and stooped, clearly intending to settle into the backseat. Clearly not expecting her to make a move given he had a gun pointed at her. But he was going to kill them anyway. She knew that. And she’d just as soon take her chances right here and right now.

  Linda did the only thing she could think of. With a mighty shove, she sent the car door barreling toward him and screamed, “Allie, get out!”

  The door slammed against Brian’s right arm with enough force that he screamed and dropped the gun. Linda dove for it and had just wrapped her fingers around the handle when Brian slammed his foot down on her arm.

  She screamed in pain.

  Vaguely she was aware that Allie had bolted out of the car and was racing back toward the D.A.’s office. Brian obviously realized the same thing.

  Panic swept over his face.

  “No,”
he said before turning his sights back on Linda. “You damn bitch. I’m going to kill you!” he shouted. Then he was on her.

  Dragging her up by her hair. Hitting and kicking her.

  It was just like the night Guapo’s men had beat her, only then it had been a different parking lot and she hadn’t known whether anyone was close enough to hear or help her.

  That wasn’t the case now. People were close. So close. Allie would get them.

  But even so, Linda knew she couldn’t rely on anyone else to save her.

  So just as she had with Guapo’s men, Linda fought for her life.

  She clawed at Brian’s eyes and screamed as loud as she could.

  Ultimately her screams weren’t enough to drown out the shouts of the others as they ran out into the parking lot and came to her aid.

  She saw Neil running toward them. But before he could get there—somehow, some way, Tony was there.

  He pulled Brian off Linda and wrestled him to the ground. Brian was flailing and kicking, but soon he was surrounded by a bunch of officers, all with their guns pointed at him. Instantly, Tony was at her side.

  “Linda. My God. Are you okay?”

  She couldn’t talk. She gulped for air. But words weren’t what mattered. Action was.

  As she threw herself into Tony’s arms, she knew he’d truly saved her. Not just now, when he’d pulled Brian off of her, but far earlier than that.

  He’d saved her when he’d returned to Sacramento. When he’d returned to avenge Rory Maverick. And, she was sure, when he’d also returned for her.

  * * *

  Later that night Linda lay silently in Tony’s arms. Even though they’d made love, even though Linda seemed happy, he was once again haunted by fears that sometime soon, she was going to add up all the heartache he’d caused her and kick him to the curb again. For all he knew, she was simply enjoying the sex and wasn’t really considering anything long-term between them.

  Slowly Tony eased himself away from Linda and stood. Silently he put on his pants, then padded to the kitchen where he poured himself a glass of milk and sat at her dining-room table. Instead of drinking the milk, however, he simply stared at it. He should simply ask her what she was thinking and feeling but—