Alliance

by S. R. Franklin

  She wanted to go back to the cabin. She hoped she was completely wrong about The Handyman and that she could just rest her mind for a few hours.

  She needed to talk to Cameo and find out if she had identified the picture she had sent to her. Then she would know if she was right or wrong.

  When she felt like she could get away with it, Samantha made all the excuses she could to her family and left for the cabin.

  JJ walked out to the car with Samantha. “Why don’t I just go with you? I can get out a few miles away and walk in. I just really don’t think this is a good idea. Besides, what if I get lost? Just once, do it my way.”

  “JJ, just stick to the plan. Remember they have to think I am alone and I need to make sure you have my back. I have to know you are coming. And you know how to get to the cabin as well as I do. I don’t want any more women killed. We have to get them alone out of their comfort zone.” Samantha got in her car and rolled down the window. “Remember, wait an hour and leave. You should get there by dark. If we’re lucky, no one will show up.”

  “Wait, you keep saying they, are you saying there are still two?” JJ leaned into the car window.

  “I know that there has to be two or more and I don’t think Davie was a killer. This is not over, yet. But maybe I’m wrong.” Samantha started the car and smiled to reassure JJ.

  JJ shoved her hands in her pockets. “Yeah, well that would be the first time. But—”

  “No buts. Just be careful and don’t be late.” Samantha pulled out of the driveway.

  Chapter 64

  Samantha opened the large door to the cabin. It was quiet inside. Before she settled in to wait for company, she went through each room and made sure all windows and doors were locked. She shut every door except the one to the dining room. Sitting in the front room, she could see the back door. She walked back to her room. She slid off her jacket and holster, slid off her shoes and walked to the bathroom. She may as well relax while she waited. She unbuckled her belt and pulled it off.

  She paused. She thought she heard a noise in the hall. She picked up her pistol as she walked down the hall.

  It was the doorbell. Samantha walked over to the door and opened it.

  It was Morgan.

  Samantha froze. She had expected him, but she had hoped she was wrong. She could not smile or speak.

  Not him, she thought. Not him. It can’t be true.

  He wasn’t the killer. He couldn’t be.

  “I brought beer. I hope you don’t mind. I wasn’t in the mood to be alone and figured you weren’t either. C’mon, let me in.” Morgan smiled and walked past Samantha. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

  “I thought you left with the rest of the guys this evening.” Sam laid the pistol on the coffee table and sat down on the couch.

  Morgan turned and saw the gun. “What’s wrong, Sam? Why do you have that?”

  “What, oh nothing, just habit I guess.” She smiled up at Morgan.

  He carried the beer to the refrigerator, and he returned with two. Morgan walked over and sat down on the couch. He held the beer up to Samantha. She took the beer with a smile and sat down beside him. She took a long drink. It was cold and good. She fell back deep into the couch. Morgan put his arm around her. Samantha slid over into him and laid her head on his shoulder.

  Samantha looked at him. She was trying to read his face. She looked deep into his eyes. “Do you ever think about when you were in the Army?”

  “What? I was Special Forces. Sniper Unit. But not really, why?”

  “I just wonder what makes someone like Davie turn and kill innocent people. He had to start young. Do you think he was crazy or sick?” Samantha pulled from him so she could see his reactions.

  “I’m not sure what made him do what he did. They do it for different reasons. Some are sick, I guess, but most do it because they can. It’s a game. Sometimes a game between a couple of people. Do you want another beer?” Morgan stood up and walked to the kitchen.

  “Sure.” Samantha leaned forward on the couch. “Do you need some help?”

  “No, just relax. I’ll get them.” Morgan took a deep breath and back to the kitchen door. “Where’s your trash can?” Morgan was fumbling to open two more beers.

  “It’s under the sink.” Samantha smiled. Morgan was taking too long. She got up to walk into the kitchen. Just then Morgan came into the living room.

  “Sorry, I couldn’t get this one open.” Morgan held out a bottle to her.

  They sat back down.

  “Did I upset you by talking about the Army?” Samantha looked over at him and put her hand on his leg.

  “No, Samantha. Look, I’m sorry. It has been a bad week for everyone and you especially. I mean you got a new job, and so did I. Then we have had one of the worst cases ever. We found 30 dead women. Two killers, our team was attacked. Our witness was killed, poor girl cut 20 times, the tape recorder on the witness disappeared, and then, as if we needed anything else, you had to bury your nephew.”

  Samantha smiled and finished her beer. Morgan was right about one thing. It had been a bad week.

  But it wasn’t over yet.

  Morgan made a couple more trips to the kitchen. The coffee table was beginning to be littered with beer bottles. Samantha was very tired but beginning to relax. She was ready for that hot shower and bed. Samantha snuggled back into the couch and laid against Morgan. They didn’t talk. She tried to clear her mind and just enjoy being there alone with him.

  All the evidence had to be wrong.

  It was quiet. She just wanted quiet. She started feeling light-headed. The bottle started slipping from her hands. She couldn’t hold it. She was so tired. Her arms and legs were heavy.

  The last beer. It was seconal.

  Morgan was the Handyman.

  She didn’t care.

  She was so tired.

  “Just relax, baby girl. Everything will be all right. When you wake up, we will be together forever.”

  Samantha’s head fell forward. She could not lift it. The room began to spin. She tried to get up.

  Morgan smiled and stood up. “Samantha, let’s lay down. You look tired.” He bent over and pulled her up on her feet.

  She could barely stand.

  Morgan threw his arms around her and held her tight. He put one hand on the back of her head and kissed her forehead. “There, there, Samantha, everything will be okay. I will take care of you. When you wake up, we will be together forever. I promise. You are mine.”

  Sam could fight no more. She drifted to sleep.

  Chapter 65

  Morgan picked her up and carried her to his car. It would be a long night, but a great tomorrow. His adrenaline was racing with the thrill of it all. He realized he had an erection. He laughed.

  He started down the dirt driveway. There were headlights. Someone was coming. He turned to pull the SUV behind the cabin.

  He glanced over at Samantha. She was out. He covered her and got out of the car to wait. No one could stop him now. Samantha was finally his, and they would be together forever.

  Chapter 66

  JJ was late.

  She had made all the excuses she could, but it had been almost two hours. She had said she’d leave in an hour.

  JJ knew this was not the time to be late. But there was nothing she could do without alerting the entire family that something was wrong.

  It was already after dark when she made her way out the door and to the car. She still thought it was wrong not telling the others, but Samantha was never wrong. But if something happened to her, no one would know where they were. She turned and started back into the house.

  The door opened. Lisa and Diane walked out. They met JJ at the end of the walk.

  “Okay, tell us what is going on. We know Samantha did not just leave to be alone. So what’s up?” Lisa crossed her arms and smiled.

  “I’m glad you guys are suspicious like her. I’m supposed to meet her at the cabin. Just follow me but a
few minutes behind, okay?”

  JJ jumped in the car and pulled away. “Now, if I just don’t take a wrong turn.” JJ drove back towards town.

  She tried to call Samantha. There was no answer. JJ was getting anxious.

  She hated being late.

  Chapter 67

  Diane and Lisa walked back inside and grabbed the keys.

  Hannah and Alexis came over, followed by Tristan.

  Tristan was the first to speak. “What’s going on?”

  “We’re not sure, but Samantha is up to something.” Diane moved into the hall. “We have to go to the cabin.”

  They slipped out the front door and started to the cabin.

  Chapter 68

  Samantha’s head fell forward. She fought to open her eyes. Her arms would not move. She started shaking her head, trying to wake through the drugs. It took her several minutes to get her body to somewhat co-operate. She pulled against the chair she was sitting in. Nothing, her arms and hands were tied. She threw herself backwards, but the chair didn’t turn over.

  Samantha opened her eyes. Straight in front of her, she could see someone but not enough to make out who it was. “Hey!” she said.

  The ‘someone’ didn’t respond.

  She began to thrash hard in the chair, but it would not move. She blew her hair away from her eyes.

  “Why don’t you talk to me?”

  Still, she got no response.

  Samantha leaned forward and blinked. At last she could see who was there.

  She was face to face with Amanda.

  Amanda didn’t look alive. She was covered in blood. Most of her fingers on one hand were gone. Samantha knew where they were. Her ear was gone. “Got that, too.” Samantha did not feel remorse for her. Amanda suffered.

  “Morgan,” Samantha yelled. “Untie my hands. I know it’s you.”

  Someone walked up behind her. “Now be a good girl.” The voice did not sound like Morgan. He took a knife and ran it under the ropes.

  Samantha pulled her arms in front of her and began to rub them. Slowly she stood and walked over to Amanda. Samantha put her hand on her neck. There was still a very slight pulse.

  “Don’t worry, Sam, she’s still alive. I have been keeping her for you.” Morgan would not step into the faint light.

  “Why? I don’t want to save her or you. Morgan, how can this be you? How could you have been this person and be an FBI agent, too? And my--” Samantha couldn’t finish the sentence. She moved back across the room putting distance between her and Morgan.

  “Now, now, stand still or I will tie you up again.” Morgan moved forward, closing the distance between Samantha and the door. “Don’t you understand, Samantha? You are my 31. If you kill Amanda, I win and we can be free. Be together forever, go anywhere we want. That is what you want, right? You want me just like I want you. I have hunted for someone like you for a long time, almost 17 years. I have to admit though, when you took all my property I was really doubtful that we could be together. I thought I would have to kill you, too. But then I realized you just wanted it to be us, no one else in the way. That’s why you sent all of them away. No one but me and you will know where we put them, right?”

  “No, I intend to make sure each and every woman you killed gets back to their families. Right after I kill you and bury you in this disgusting and filthy place where you belong.” Samantha removed her jacket.

  “It’s not filthy. This is my sanctuary. I don’t believe you mean everyone. Are you going to take Amanda back to your brother and let her be buried next to Adam? Or are you going to take your grandmother’s ring back to Daniel like he asked and tell him you killed her for him?” Morgan walked to the table and picked up his hunting knife. “Come on now, Sam, you know you promised Daniel she would suffer.”

  “I never said that. You don’t know me like you think you do. I don’t want to kill. I want to bring justice into a dark world. And if I kill you, I will do just that. I can bury you both out here and it will all be over. You and Davie will never kill another woman. I promise you that. There will never be a 31 for either of you. I will not let you live.”

  “Well then, kill me. Go ahead, Samantha. Kill the man you love.” Morgan stepped into the light. “You do love me. I can tell.” He was covered in blood.

  Sam took a step back.

  “See? You can’t kill me.”

  Samantha started feeling her stomach to see if she was bleeding.

  “Don’t worry, Samantha, it’s not yours. Now, back to business. Kill her, Samantha, and we can move on. I know you want to. Do it for me and Daniel and for your nephew.” Morgan walked over to Samantha and reached the knife towards her.

  She reached out to take it.

  Morgan pulled it away and smiled. “No, not just yet. I need to know I can trust you. Make me believe you. Tell me how much you want to be with me.”

  “Morgan, I did want you. The you I thought you were. Not the murdering monster you really are.” Samantha move slowly from Amanda. “I am not like you.” She was just out of Morgan’s reach. She tried to scan the room and find the door.

  “Now stand still, Samantha. I don’t want to have to hurt you. Tell me what was it that gave me away to you?” Morgan walked over to Amanda.

  “Well, Mama always said if it sounded to good yadda yadda.” Samantha took another step towards the door. Morgan jumped around the chair and grabbed her. He dragged her back to the chair and sat her down hard. He grabbed the ropes and swung them around her.

  “Okay, okay, I’ll stop. I’ll stop.” Samantha pulled forward away from the chair.

  Morgan grabbed her shoulders hard and jerked her back against the chair. “Last time I ask, Samantha. I am not playing with you. Don’t make me think I made a mistake about you.” He pushed her away.

  Samantha sat back in the chair and looked at him. “There were several small things you said. Like 30 women, it was all a game, and the tape. No one knew about me having CJ put a tape recorder under Sarah’s gown except me, CJ, and, of course, the person who killed her. So what did she say to you before you finished her off? By the way what is it about the number 31? I really don’t understand that. Is it just another thing you made up to give you an excuse to kill all those women?”

  Morgan moved closer. He held out the large serrated hunting knife. He leaned over to Samantha and took the back of his hand and slapped face hard.

  Samantha fell over in the chair. “You’re pathetic.”

  Morgan smiled. He took the knife and ran it down Samantha’s face. “Now I told you to be good. Don’t disappoint me or this will end badly. Remember you belong to me, you are my virtuous woman, my perfect wife. You proved to be better than all the rest. I had to look deep into the souls of all the others. And you won, so I can do what I want to you. Now what else do you think I did?”

  “Wife? You mean you killed 29 women, two men, and no telling who else because you wanted a wife?” Samantha squeezed her temples with both hands. “No, no. No one can be that demented.”

  Morgan leaned over and put his hands on the arms of the chair. He leaned in close and kissed her hard. “Good thing I love that mouth so much or I would cut out your tongue. Talk.”

  “Then there is that picture of some of your unit. All the snipers I guess? By the way who was taking the picture? Davie? “Well the number of wounds Sarah had. And let’s not forget Amanda. It had to be you. I told you how much I hated her. And it could not be a coincidence she was taken and the FBI team was found in my shower 5 states away. How does it feel to kill people who considered you a friend?”

  Morgan raised his hand again.

  Samantha sat forward. “Go ahead and hit me. You better have all the fun you want now.”

  “Why, are you expecting company? JJ maybe? Or one of your sisters? Don’t worry, they won’t be interrupting us. We have plenty of time.” Morgan turned and walked back to Amanda. “By the time they figure out where we are, we’ll be gone. You will be with me forever no matter what.�
�� He lifted Amanda’s head with her hair.

  She did not make any noise at all. The life was almost completely gone from her.

  Samantha walked closer to her. She folded her arms and began to look at her. She was covered in dried blood. Her hands were almost severed from pulling on the ties. She had suffered.

  Tears rolled down Samantha’s face. She hated Amanda but no one deserved this. Amanda was tormented all her life and now almost in death. “I just want this over. All of it.” She took a deep breath and removed her hands. Looking at Morgan, she reached for the knife. “Give it to me.”

  Morgan smiled and handed her the knife. It was heavy and big. Samantha held it tight and walked behind Amanda. “I don’t know how to do this.” She looked over at Morgan.

  He smiled again and walked over to her. He stood beside her. “Take the knife in your right hand.” He moved to her left to watch. “Now slowly pull the knife across her throat. The slower the better. Make her feel it longer. Don’t worry, she can’t move.”

  Samantha took a deep breath and gripped the knife hard. She raised it to reach Amanda’s throat. She put her foot against the chair leg to help steady herself.

  “Good, now do it. Kill her and we can be together forever. You are my 31, Samantha, and I love you.” Morgan’s eyes glimmered.

  “I loved you, too. I’m sorry, Morgan.” Samantha plunged the knife into Morgan’s chest.

  Chapter 69

  JJ looked into her rear view mirror. She could see headlights. “That has to be Lisa and the others. She pushed the gas pedal harder. She tried to call Samantha, but there was no answer. She tried over and over for several minutes and still nothing. JJ threw her phone across the car. “Samantha, I told you this was crazy.” She could not make the car move any faster.

  It seemed like it took hours to pull into the drive at the cabin. JJ could see the lights as she slid next to the house. Lisa and the others slid in beside her. They all jumped out of the cars with guns drawn. JJ led the way to the front door. Hannah followed close behind. It was unlocked. JJ motioned for everyone to split up and go around the back. She waited only a few seconds before she opened the door. JJ slipped into the living room. The coffee table was still littered with beer bottles. She began to make her way down the hall to the bedrooms. There was no one there.