Vendetta

by Fern Michaels

  “Julia said it was just something to make him relax. He’s relaxed all right. We’re breaking all kinds of laws here, you know that, right?”

  “This is a hell of a time to worry about that,” Alexis called from the bathroom where she was inspecting the medicine cabinet. She threw all the prescription bottles into the bag and trotted out to the living room. She took a last look around before she closed and locked the door. Why did men live in such total disarray? Because they needed women to clean and pick up after them, she guessed. “Ha! That will be the damn day I clean up after some man,” she snorted.

  Alexis and Isabelle managed, by holding Mark up under the arms, to get him to the elevator, down to the ground floor and across the lobby. Outside, the wind drove them from the back, literally pushing them forward as they pulled and dragged Mark to the car. A middle-aged couple stared at them but Isabelle waved airily and made a drinking motion with her hand and mouth. The couple turned away, disgust on their faces.

  Inside the car, with Mark in the back, Isabelle said, “Turn the heater up and burn rubber, Alexis. It must be ten degrees out there. So, how much medicine is he on?”

  “Two bottles of something. Most of the stuff was old, outdated. Looked to me like cold prescriptions and antibiotics. You’re supposed to throw away old medicine. Look, stop worrying. Julia said Charles accessed this guy’s medical records and whatever was in the shot won’t hurt him. I wouldn’t have gone along with it otherwise. Myra and Julia both demanded to see his records and they were OK with it. They said he’s healthy as a horse. But this guy is just peripheral and doesn’t even deserve this. He just had the bad luck to be friends with Jack Emery…Listen, get out the directions to the Lewellen house. I didn’t know Myra had bought that house. Did you know that?”

  Isabelle shrugged as she read out which turn Alexis was to take next. “Nikki told me. She said Mr. and Mrs. Lewellen worked all their lives for that little house. She said Myra couldn’t bear for it to go into foreclosure. Who knows, maybe someday…”

  “No, Isabelle, the Lewellens will never be able to return. Wherever they are, they have new identities and they’re still grieving over the murder of their daughter. Marie has to live with the fact that she shot her daughter’s murderer. Such is life. Crazy world we live in, huh?”

  “Yeah, it is crazy…Alexis, I can’t get John Chai out of my mind. We skinned him.”

  “Yeah, we did. Skin grows back. Barbara Rutledge and her unborn baby are never coming back. Get over it, Isabelle. Damn, this is a big car and hard to navigate.”

  Isabelle giggled. “Guess that’s why they call it a Navigator.”

  Alexis pretended to swat her friend. “That’s it on the right, isn’t it? Must be, Nikki’s car is parked in the driveway. How did Kathryn get here?”

  “Car service.”

  Isabelle peered out the window to see if she could see any curtains or blinds moving in the other houses. “This might be a stupid question, but shouldn’t we be worried about the neighbors who are probably watching us at this very minute? What if they call the cops?”

  “Charles has it covered. Kathryn has all the paperwork if some Nosy Nellie comes around asking questions. In addition, she’s just a phone call away from all of us. Will you please relax? You’re starting to make me nervous, Isabelle.”

  “I’m a worrier. What can I say?” Isabelle said, hopping out of the car. Together they managed to haul Mark Lane out of the back seat and up the driveway. The garage door slid upward just as they reached it. Nikki and Kathryn took over just as the huge door slid downward.

  “Let’s get this dude into bed. I made coffee,” Kathryn said. At the look of disbelief on Isabelle’s and Alexis’s faces, she hastened to add, “Life goes on. This has to look like a normal operation. Coffee is normal. I didn’t say you had to drink the damn stuff. All I said was I made coffee. Someone stocked the cabinets and refrigerator. The heat’s on, too. Jack is sleeping soundly and should remain asleep for another six hours or so.”

  It took the four of them to undress Mark and put him in an old pair of Mr. Lewellen’s flannel pajamas before they settled him in a twin bed across from Jack, who was snoring with gusto. Nikki unfolded a Batman quilt from the bottom of the bed and covered Mark. Jack was sleeping underneath a Spiderman quilt.

  Kathryn offered up a nifty salute and said, “Sleep tight, little buddies.” The others laughed as they made their way to the kitchen where Kathryn poured herself a cup of coffee.

  Alexis held out the liner from the wastebasket. “Lane’s medicine is in here. You better read the instructions.”

  “Don’t have to,” Kathryn said over the rim of her cup. “They’re just placebos with fancy names. Mark Lane doesn’t need medication. He’s a hypochondriac. Hey, if you don’t believe me, here’s his medical history, and don’t even think about asking me how Charles gets his hands on stuff like this. For some reason, Lane’s doctors humor him. Charles thinks he wanted to get out of FBI fieldwork and into computer programming for the Bureau. When he had that heart business — which wasn’t even a heart attack — that was his ticket out of fieldwork. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure he takes his placebos. Now, what are you guys going to do?”

  Nikki brushed at her hair with her fingers. “I’m worried about Jack. He was already sick when he came into Mulligan’s. Don’t give him anything else, Kathryn. Just hot soup and tea. Same for Mark. We’ve come too far to screw up now. Be sure to take Jack’s temperature and if it goes over a hundred and two, call me. He’s prone to pneumonia. I nursed him through a bad spell a few years ago so I know what I’m talking about.”

  Kathryn was about to say something smart and flip until she saw the genuine concern on Nikki’s face. “OK. I’ll watch him carefully. Look, if he takes a bad turn, I’ll call nine-one-one. I know what to do.”

  Nikki twirled the ends of her hair with her thumb and forefinger, a sign she was worried. “I think I’ll take his temperature before I leave. The rest of you, finish your coffee. I’ll be right back.”

  Alexis snapped her fingers under Nikki’s nose. “Earth to Nikki. We aren’t drinking coffee, and we’re leaving now. We’ll see you back at Pinewood.”

  When Nikki returned to the kitchen, Kathryn was on her second cup of coffee. “Sit down a minute, Nikki. I need to ask you something. It’ll just take a minute.” Her jacket in hand, Nikki sat down, her eyes full of questions.

  “I need to know how you can do this. You love Jack. I think it’s the kind of love I had for my husband. It’s eating you alive, isn’t it?”

  Nikki nodded. “Yes. Yes, it is. But…You would have to understand how close Barbara and I were. How much I loved her, how much I love Myra and Charles. They’re my family. At the end of the day, Kathryn, your family is all you have. I was going to be the baby’s godmother; Jack was going to be the godfather. I was as excited as Barbara was when she found out she was pregnant. You didn’t know Myra back then. After…after Barbara’s death, I watched her waste away to nothing. She wanted to die to be with her daughter.

  “It was the worst time of my life. Charles…Charles did everything he could, but you can’t make a person eat, you can’t make them care. All she did was sit in a chair twenty-four hours a day with the television tuned to CNN. She was hoping to see a picture of the man who killed her daughter. To my knowledge, the network never showed even one picture.

  “I agreed to all this because it just wasn’t fair that John Chai got off free. I know I swore to uphold the law, just the way Jack did. We made some mistakes along the way and he got suspicious. One thing led to another and I had to choose sides. Some days, I regret the path I chose, because I know in my heart that Jack is the only man I’ll ever love. Jack is…different. He will never recover if he has to send me to prison, but make no mistake, if there’s a way for him to do that, he will. We can’t let that happen. That’s all I have to say, Kathryn. That probably wasn’t what you wanted to hear, but it’s the best I can do. I really gotta get going. They
might need help at the farm. Is there anything you want me to say to Julia other than goodbye?”

  “Nope, that’s it. Take it easy, Nikki. Jack Emery isn’t sending any of us to prison. That’s a promise. Go on now before the roads start to freeze up. Call me if you get bored.”

  “Will do,” Nikki said as she walked to the door. “Lock up after me.”

  “You know it,” Kathryn said. She shot the deadbolt home the minute the door closed behind Nikki.

  Kathryn walked back to the bedroom where Jack and Mark were sleeping. She looked at both men and then placed her hand on Jack’s forehead. Cool. She sighed with relief. Her heart felt heavy when she stared at the only man Nikki said she could ever love. And yet she seemed to be fine about Jack’s code of ethics that could send her to prison. Her eyes started to burn. At least Jack was alive. Maybe a miracle of some kind would happen and Nikki and Jack would find a way to be together again.

  But Kathryn didn’t believe that for one minute. If Jack Emery had his way, he would send them all to prison and not give it a second thought. Her eyes narrowed and her heart hardened. “Well, screw you, Jack Emery. This is one chick you ain’t sending to prison. Or Nikki, or anyone else. If I have to, I’ll take care of you personally. Sleep tight, boys.”

  Nineteen

  Julia’s goodbye was sad yet sweet as she hugged her sisters. She was teary-eyed but mindful of Alexis’s warning not to let the tears destroy her makeup job. “I’m going to miss you all. I’m glad I was able to help in some little way. And thank you for the snowmobile, Myra. I’ll carry that memory with me till I return at Christmas. Remember now, take care of my plant, and don’t forget to give Kathryn a hug for me.”

  Another round of hugs and kisses and Julia was running toward the car that would take her to the airport.

  “It’s snowing again,” Myra said quietly. “I do hope Julia’s flight isn’t delayed.”

  “I don’t think there’s going to be a problem, Myra. It’s just flurries. She’ll take off right on schedule,” Nikki said.

  “We seem to be in a bit of a quandary here, don’t we? Our mission is finished, and yet it isn’t finished. What should we do now?” Isabelle asked.

  “We could play mah-jong or watch television,” Yoko said.

  “On a Sunday afternoon! Bite your tongue, Yoko,” Nikki said. “I think I’ll take a nap.”

  Alexis looked around the kitchen, which was spic and span. “Who’s making dinner? If no one minds, I’d like to putter around out here. Myra really doesn’t like to cook and Charles is busy. Is it all right, Myra?”

  Myra looked around, a vague expression on her face. “Of course, dear. Whatever you want to do is fine. I think I’ll visit with Charles for a little while. He must be very tired. And lonely. Perhaps I can spell him for a little while. I think I’ll just pour the rest of the coffee into a Thermos to take with me.”

  As Myra made her way to the secret door, she could hear pots and pans rattling in the kitchen. A tiny smiled tugged at the corners of her mouth and stayed with her until she got to the tunnels. She rang the bells so Charles would know she was on her way to visit him.

  For the first time in her life, Myra read annoyance on Charles’s face at the sight of her. She was taken aback and stammered a greeting. She knew something was wrong, she could sense it. “What is it, Charles?”

  “It’s nothing, Myra. Please, I don’t want you down here. It’s not good for you to keep seeing this man in his present condition.” Charles led her farther down the tunnel, out of John Chai’s earshot.

  “Charles, I am not some namby-pamby female. I have every right to see this man anytime I want. It doesn’t bother me to see him and it doesn’t bother me that we did what we did. Now, I want you to go into the house and take a nap. You look exhausted. Don’t argue with me, Charles, because it’s an order. Alexis is preparing dinner and Nikki is taking a nap. Julia’s gone. I rather imagine Yoko and Isabelle will be reading or watching television, which leaves me at loose ends. By the way, it’s snowing again.”

  “I’m fine, Myra. I catnap. Little power naps work wonders. I really don’t want you here.”

  Hands on hips, Myra looked up at her beloved. “I don’t really care, Charles. I’m staying and you’re going to take a nap. Why don’t you tell me what’s really wrong?”

  “Several hours ago I went up to the war room to make a few phone calls. Su Zhow Li is dead. No, no, Chai’s people didn’t get to him. Li made his way to England and on his arrival he suffered a heart attack. It seems he’d been living on borrowed time for over a year. When we spoke in China he alluded to the fact that he wasn’t a youngster anymore, but he never let on that his health problems were serious. My people are sending me a secure fax soon. He was a good friend. A very good friend. I’m glad he died in England. I think that’s why he wanted to return. He spoke several times about going back there but I had the impression he meant sometime in the future. Of course I’m aware that we may have escalated his departure.”

  Myra stared into the dark cell where John Chai lay. “Will his death affect Mr. Chai’s return to China?”

  “Possibly. My people told me Li vaporized his house. The only thing that remains is a pile of ash. No rubble. The airstrip on his land is still intact. That’s the good news.”

  Myra digested the information. “Go, Charles. You need to sleep in a bed for a few hours. You will smell a lot better if you take a shower. I don’t want an argument, Charles. Go! I’ll just sit here and watch Mr. Chai.”

  “Has Kathryn reported in?”

  “Yes. Her patients are sleeping soundly. Jack’s fever has gone down a little. Mr. Lane just sleeps. Obviously, both men were exhausted. Kathryn said she is sick of watching soap operas and game shows. She’s hungry for one of your meals.” Charles allowed himself a small chuckle as he kissed Myra’s cheek. “I’ll be back in two hours.”

  “Yes, dear, two hours. Sleep well.”

  Myra sat down on an old hardwood kitchen chair. She hugged her arms to her chest. She debated taking one of the quilts down from its peg. Did the rats scurry up and down it? Were they sleeping in the folds? Rather than finding out, she rubbed at her arms. Her gaze stayed glued to John Chai.

  How still he looked. The truth was, he looked dead. Was he asleep? She wondered if he was dreaming about his ordeal. She finally decided there would be no point in dreaming, since Chai was living the experience.

  Myra got up and walked over to the cell. She was stunned to see that the man’s eyes were wide open. He stared at her malevolently but he didn’t speak. She wondered how much pain he was in. “You’re not a very pretty sight, Mr. Chai.”

  “Thanks to you and those animals you surround yourself with. My father will find you and kill all of you.”

  “Is that so? Do you have any idea where you are? Do you even know what day it is? Do you have even a clue as to what you look like? You look just like the monster you are.”

  “There are plastic surgeons who…”

  “No, the plastic surgeon hasn’t been born yet who could help you. Right now your body is one massive scab. Soon, you are going to start to itch. But you can’t scratch. If you do, you’ll get an infection. If that happens, you could die. Your recovery is entirely up to you. I don’t see any harm in telling you where you are since you don’t know. You’re in Switzerland,” Myra lied. “It’s January twentieth. You’ve been with us for two months. And not a word has been leaked about anyone looking for you. I find that incredibly sad. Your loving family — the father you said would move heaven and earth for you — isn’t even looking for you. I guess no one cares about you, Mr. Chai.”

  “You’re lying! I am my father’s only son. He will find and kill you. That’s a promise.”

  Myra moved back to her chair and crossed her legs. She could have been discussing the weather. “No, that’s not a promise. One should only make a promise if one is prepared to carry through. I warned you about that once before. When we send you back to your family —
the family who is not searching for you — you will be a freak of nature. Little children will run and hide when they see how ugly you are. Young women will turn away because you will offend them. Your father will hide you in some godforsaken place to live out your days. That’s what you have to look forward to, Mr. Chai.”

  “Lies! Everything you say is a lie!” Chai screamed but there was no conviction in his voice.

  “Very well, have it your way. But remember one thing, John Chai. It was a group of women who brought you to this point. Women. W-o-m-e-n! When you arrive at that godforsaken place where you will live out your days, you will remember all of us and what we did to you. You will dream about us and you will think about us every waking moment as we move on with our lives. We’ll be going to parties, weddings, eating wonderful food, making love with our partners, going to church, raising our children. We will not be thinking of you. And when you finally die, my daughter will be waiting for you on the other side.”

  John Chai screamed and screamed and screamed until he was hoarse. Myra laughed, a cruel and bitter sound.

  Myra opened the Thermos and poured coffee into the cup. She leaned back and sipped at it. Her thoughts carried her back in time to a warm, sunny day when she watched Barbara and Nikki riding their ponies. She was snapping pictures of the laughing group as Charles led both giggling girls around the fenced-in pasture. “Look, Mom!” Barbara shouted as she stood up in the saddle. “No hands, Mom!” Wiry little monkey that she was, she didn’t fall, to Charles’s relief. Not to be outdone, Nikki wiggled backward and slid off the pony’s rump. How they’d laughed that day. Myra made a mental note to look in the photo albums when she returned to the main part of the house.

  “What else should we talk about, Mr. Chai? I’m trying to be hospitable here. Don’t scream, though, that irritates me.”