A movement shifted in the corner of his eye. Duncan glanced up, tensing with readiness, but it was just Destiny with her gun at the ready.
“Done already?” she asked, eyeing Tulane’s still figure.
“Apparently. It feels too easy, though.”
Tulane stirred. Destiny trained her gun on him. Duncan glanced up to see Blake scaling down the building one handed from his perch on the roof. He rolled his eyes, knowing Blake was probably just showing off for the hell of it.
Zack came up with the fence and gripped it with one arm over his head. The two cameramen that had stayed behind shifted into view beside him.
“You get all that?” Duncan asked.
“Yup,” said one guy. “Crystal clear.” He hefted the camera higher on his shoulder.
“Great. Can you send that footage to ADA Hannah Armstrong? She’ll know what to do with it. Do you think you can get it on the airwaves?”
The other cameraman shrugged. “Maybe. I know some people that would be happy to give it a graveyard spot on the news.”
“It’ll do,” Duncan told them.
Tulane coughed, then rolled over with a groan.
“I’d stay still if I were you,” Duncan told him, shoving him with his foot.
Tulane laughed.
Unease slid down Duncan’s spine. “Did I knock something loose in there?”
Tulane chuckled harder. “You think you’ve won.”
Duncan swallowed. “Haven’t I?” he asked with false bravado.
Tulane’s eyes rolled back in his head, but he snapped his gaze back to Duncan. He obviously didn’t want to miss his moment of triumph.
“You may have caught me, but your little Mandy will pay the price. She’s ours, now.”
With that, he passed out again. Destiny shifted forward with her cuffs and locked them around his wrists.
“What do you think he meant by that?” Destiny asked.
But Duncan had already pulled out his phone, calling first Sam, then Paul.
No one answered.
Chapter 20
The tile floor pressed into her face. Mandy’s head swam, even before she peeled her eyes open a crack. She was on the floor of the conservatory, the cold floor giving her brain a much needed slap. The shattered teacup that had fallen from Mandy’s grip had already been cleared away.
Her vision still swum, but she could make out the white metal legs of the bench Gloria had sat at. Gloria was no longer there. Behind that, huge pots that likely held some of the plants she’d seen earlier.
She shifted, the vague thought that those pots might make a good weapon darting through her mind. But she didn’t get far. What was wrong with her arms?
She tugged, her mind clearing every second she was awake. Her arms were bound behind her back with what felt like a zip tie. The plastic bit into her skin, pulled too tight. Gloria’s doing, and probably intentional.
Mandy tilted her head up. Sam lay beside her, eyes closed and breathing heavily.
“Sam?” she whispered. No response, not even a flutter.
Looking down, she saw Paul was still in his chair, but his arms had been zip tied to the wheels. His head lolled.
Panic hit her as she realised she was alone to fight this. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her breathing and her fluttering heart, but that strange lack of scent hit her. Who would have such a lovingly tended garden without at least one scented plant? So odd.
Footsteps sounded outside the room, a light tap against the uncarpeted floor. Mandy shut her eyes and focused on slowing her breathing, trying to still play unconscious.
Gloria’s footsteps stopped right near Mandy’s face and she tried not to flinch.
“What am I going to do with you?” she mused aloud. Mandy refrained from offering any suggestions, knowing things would be worse for her if Gloria knew she was awake. Better to save that in case she could use the element of surprise.
“The boat? No. The three of you would be too heavy to drag out their inconspicuously.” She paced, her footsteps tapping back and forth as she passed Mandy’s head. “Leave you in the mountains? Maybe, but that’s a long drive and I have a dinner at eight.”
Mandy subtly tugged at her zip ties, but the thing didn’t budge. Had she seen a video on YouTube once on how to get out of them? Yes. But her hands would have to be in front for the movement to work.
Gloria’s footsteps stopped again and Mandy stilled.
“You really were an unexpected inconvenience. I should have better contingency plans for body disposal. I suppose I’ll simply have to call some people.”
With that, she spun on her heels and departed the room again. Mandy breathed a sigh of relief. She cracked open an eye to confirm Gloria had gone, then slowly sat up. Most of the poison seemed to have dissipated, leaving her clear-headed.
She looked around for something to help—a weapon, a knife to cut the ties. A pair of gardening shears had been lodged into the soil of a pot plant, beckoning her. Perfect.
She shifted, trying to stand without her hands for balance. Her legs wouldn’t move. Mandy glanced down to see they’d been zip tied as well. Not only that, but the leg of the bench they’d been sitting on was between her ankles.
Mandy’s heart sank. She couldn’t tip the bench back without risking it falling over, not with her hands behind her back. And she couldn’t drag the bench with her to reach the shears, because the scraping would alert Gloria to her movements.
Mandy sighed. There had to be a way out of this.
If she could just get her hands free, then she could free her legs, too.
The footsteps returned, and Mandy flopped back, trying to recreate her former position. Her heart hammered as she trained her ear towards Gloria, listening for any hint she’d been discovered.
“I don’t care if you’re busy,” Gloria growled into the phone, pacing just outside the conservatory door. “I’ll pay you double whatever they’re paying you.” She paused. “Triple, then?” Another pause. “Fine, I’ll find someone else.”
The footsteps disappeared again and Mandy breathed another sigh of relief. She’d never been more pleased that it was tough to find good help these days.
Okay, what could break a zip tie that was in easy reach? She glanced at Sam’s boot. Had she been disarmed? Worth a check.
She scooted over as close to Sam as she could and reached for her boots. The angle wasn’t quite right, so she shifted again, straining towards her. There! That was a shoelace. Mandy pulled, straightening Sam’s legs.
Her hands were clumsy, the zip ties pinching her wrists. They probably restricted blood flow, as did the awkward position of Mandy’s arms. She had to get these ties off soon.
She slipped her finger in the side of one boot, but came up empty. The other side had a gun strapped to her ankle, which Mandy unholstered. But it wouldn’t help much if she couldn’t get her hands untied. She’d never even fired a gun, let alone from behind her back. She’d be more likely to shoot herself.
She tried the second boot. One side empty. Her heart raced in terror as she strained her ears towards Gloria, but the woman hadn’t come back. This was her last shot.
Her fingers hit something hard. She nearly laughed as relief flooded her. Thank God for Sam’s love of weapons. She was always armed.
Mandy dug the handleless blade from her boot, careful not to cut Sam as she did. Just as it came free and Mandy felt a thrill of triumph, the footsteps returned. Mandy slumped down, clutching the blade.
The air shifted as Gloria leaned over Mandy’s prone form. Her breath brushed over Mandy, telling her the woman was far too close for comfort. “Okay, I’ve finally found someone willing to dispose of you three, but it’ll cost me. You’ve been nothing but a nightmare since you ruined my Christmas plans.”
Mandy’s heart hammered as she held still, so loud in her ears she was sure Gloria would hear it, too. Now or never. With a swift flick, Mandy cut the ties on her wrists and snapped her eyes open. Gloria reared
back, eyes wide with fear.
Mandy rolled and pointed the knife in her direction. Gloria stumbled back while Mandy cut the ties on her ankles and struggled to get to her feet. The blood flowing back to her hands was a sharp throb of pain from shoulders to finger tips. She shook her arms, trying to get the blood circulating properly after having her arms in such an uncomfortable position.
Mandy finally found her feet, but Gloria had already straightened. Mandy’s eyes went to the garden shears a second before Gloria lunged towards them.
Gloria was closer, and she snagged them, spraying dirt as the blades flicked upwards.
Mandy shifted back, away from the brandishing blade.
Gloria grinned. “You couldn’t have just stayed down, could you?” she hissed.
Mandy shook her head. “Not a chance.”
They circled each other with their blades out in front. Mandy wasn’t exactly sure how to fight someone with a knife, but she suspected Gloria didn’t know any better than her. If only Sam and Paul were awake, they could do the violent necessities.
But Mandy was all alone. And she couldn’t leave her friends behind.
Duncan slammed on the brake outside the address Morris Lennox had given him and almost fell out of the car in his haste to reach Mandy.
Still be alive. Please, still be alive.
She couldn’t die. He hadn’t told her that he knew how stupid he’d been. That the instant he’d realised she was in danger, the bottom had fallen out his world and he’d known with perfect clarity that he could never let her go.
He stumbled up the paving on the side of the gravel path, splitting the difference between speed and silence.
If whatever deity was up there blessed him with Mandy safe and alive, he’d tell her she was right—he had been afraid. And that fear had nearly cost him the woman that meant the world to him. But nothing scared him more than the thought of losing her forever. It just sucked it had taken her life being in danger for him to come to terms with his own stupidity.
Yes, maybe she’d break his heart one day. But all the objections he’d spouted about how different they were had turned to ashes at the thought of her not being in his life anymore. It was worth the risk. Worth the challenge.
As he reached the front of the house, Duncan saw Mandy lunge at Gloria, a blade flashing in her hand. Gloria moved out of the way with surprising agility.
Then, Gloria counter-attacked with what looked like garden shears. Blood welled on Mandy’s cheek and Duncan’s gut clenched. Torn between watching the fight, and getting inside, he knew he’d be of more use to Mandy in there.
He palmed his gun and strode to the front door, no longer being careful of his footsteps.
The door was locked, but had a stained glass panel. He whacked the butt of the gun through the glass and reached in, heedless of the cuts welling on his arms.
He swung the door open and strode through, turning to his right to find the conservatory he’d seen on the way in. He took in the scene before him in a single glance.
Plants dominated the space, so much green they could’ve been in a forest. A small clearing was in the centre of the room. Benches lined each side. Paul was slumped in his chair on one side of the bench, and Duncan thought he could see Sam’s boots sticking out beside him. He hoped she was okay, but from the distance and angle he couldn’t see if she was injured or even breathing.
But what really held his attention was Mandy and Gloria. Mandy had her back to him. Gloria glanced in his direction, then lunged towards Mandy so suddenly that Mandy stumbled out of the way. However, Gloria hadn’t been trying to stab her. Instead, she spun Mandy around and put the garden shears to her throat, using her as a shield.
Duncan raised his gun, but couldn’t find a clean shot, and he couldn’t risk hurting Mandy.
“Good, you’re here,” Gloria said. “I can deal with both of you at the same time.”
Duncan moved to the left, trying to get a clear angle on her, but she kept adjusting to keep Mandy between them.
He studied Mandy’s face, noting how pale she was, her eyes wide with fear. But her gaze latched on to his and he saw a fierce determination there.
“Trust me?” he mouthed.
She hesitated for a moment, and his knees went weak. What if she said no?
But, then, she gave a short nod.
“On three?”
Gloria made a sound of frustration and pressed her shears harder into Mandy’s neck, breaking the skin. “What are you saying?”
Mandy’s gaze dropped to his hands.
“You’re done, Gloria,” he told her, as he counted to three with one hand and readjusted his grip on his gun with the other.
As he hit three, Mandy’s arm flew up and she lodged the blade she held directly into Gloria’s hand. Gloria released a howl of pain as the shears tumbled from her grip. She released Mandy to clutch her injured palm to her chest.
Mandy fell to the floor, and Duncan let off a shot, and another. Three in quick succession. All three bullets hit their targets, and Gloria dropped like a stone.
Duncan strode forward. He took one second to verify Gloria was dead, a bullet having lodged itself between her sightless eyes, before he snatched Mandy up into his arms. He held her close, hearing her heart beat strongly in her chest, and felt the tension ease out of him.
“You’re okay,” he murmured into her hair. “Thank God you’re okay.”
Mandy squeezed him tighter, her breath coming in uneven pants, and he knew the adrenaline would start to wear off soon. He needed to call an ambulance. But he couldn’t quite convince his arms to let Mandy go.
“I’m sorry,” he said, suddenly terrified he’d never have another chance to say it.
Mandy pushed away from him to look into his eyes, but still clutched his arms for support. “For what?” she asked, her brow furrowing in confusion.
“I’m sorry for all the shit I said. I’m sorry for being too afraid and hurting you. You were right. You were right all along.”
Mandy raised her eyebrows. “So…you’re saying you want us to be together?” she asked carefully, clarifying his statement.
He nodded. “Yes. More than anything.”
If he’d expected her to leap into his arms with joy, he was sorely disappointed. Instead, she released her grip from his arms and stepped back out of reach. Her face was almost completely expressionless.
“You’re telling me this now?” she asked incredulously.
“I know it’s not perfect, with the dead body a foot away, and all. But I wanted to tell you before it’s too late.”
She stared at him for a long moment. “But it is too late,” she whispered. “I can’t trust you now, trust this.” She waved her hand between them. “We’ve been hot and cold for too long, and who’s to say you won’t go cold again? After everything you said…” she paused. “I don’t think I can believe you now.”
Tears filled her eyes, and Duncan’s heart shattered into pieces. He hadn’t got his head together in time. He’d been afraid for too long, and now he’d lost her forever.
“Mandy…” he said, words full of agony.
But she shook her head. “Not now. Not ever. Let’s just get everyone out of here, then get safe.”
She turned her back on him and got to work. Duncan stood for a long moment, trying to suppress the physical ache in his chest. When he realised it wasn’t going anywhere, he sighed and started helping her anyway.
Maybe the ache was loneliness, and it would be his constant companion.
Chapter 21
Mandy scribbled a SWOT analysis on a piece of paper, then pushed it aside with a sigh.
“This isn’t working,” she told Sierra, dropping her pen on the café table. “I can’t find the motivation. Maybe I should just give up the company.”
Sierra took a sip of her coffee and eyed Mandy over the rim of her mug. Mandy felt distinctly like bug under a microscope. “What?” she asked defensively.
“Have you talked
to Duncan lately?” Sierra asked casually, placing her mug back on the table with more care than it warranted.
Mandy scowled. “No. Not since Gloria’s house.”
“Why not?” Sierra asked.
“Because I’m still mad at him,” she declared. “What does that have to do with this business plan for Soldiering On 2.0?”
Sierra raised her eyebrows and Mandy was struck by the regret they’d been friends for too long and Sierra knew all of her secrets, even the ones she didn’t know herself.
Sierra leaned forward. “I know you don’t want to hear this, but you probably know already. You can’t find the motivation because you don’t want to do this without Duncan. You started this company together, and you can’t picture doing it without him.”
Mandy sighed and picked up her pen. She tapped it against the table to dispel the nervous energy that suddenly flooded her veins at the mention of her former business partner. Not that they’d officially dissolved the partnership, of course. But it was only a matter of time.
Right?
“Well, I can’t work with him anymore, so that’s just too damn bad, isn’t it?”
Sierra looked at her steadily. “Mandy, the man said he was sorry.”
Mandy shrugged. “It’s too late. He broke my heart. He was exactly what I tried to escape, and I played right into his hand. How will I know that this time is the real thing?”
“Well, he’s been in a horrendous mood since you turned him down.”
Mandy felt a small thrill of pleasure at the idea she’d affected him, but quickly quashed it.
“How do you know?” she asked suspiciously.
Sierra shrugged. “He’s been around a few times to talk to me and Blake. He’s really getting himself together, and dealing with his issues.”
Mandy narrowed her eyes, not sure whether she felt pleased or betrayed by this news. A little of both. “He had his chance, Sierra. We first kissed at Christmas. Everything was going well, then bam, he barely talked to me. No explanation. Then we shared something at the safe house—twice—and he gets even meaner than before. I can’t trust it won’t happen again. I can’t open myself up like that.”
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