A Season Of Miracles

by Christine Michels

  Geoff stared at him, trying to reconcile what he’d just discovered with the concerned demeanor of the man he’d thought to be his friend and partner. He decided that the only way to know for certain what kind of man Russell was, would be to confront him with his suspicions. “Did you hire Winston to plant the back-door codes in my security systems?”

  The only hint of emotion that Russell displayed was a slight widening of the eyes. Then, he shook his head sadly. “Once you would never have suspected me of something so heinous, Geoff”

  Geoff frowned slightly. He was certain that he’d seen a shadow moving in the outer office. Had Russ brought someone with him? “Once, I was blinded by friendship and old loyalties, Russ. I’m not anymore. I liked you from the start, but I barely know you.”

  “I see.” In a relaxed and casual movement, Russell reached inside his suit jacket. Geoff expected him to pull out his pipe as he had on other occasions. This time, however, Russell Manning pulled out a small black handgun Geoff tensed

  Without a flicker of emotion, Russell pointed the weapon at Geoff with a casualness that suggested he was very familiar with it. “I tried to warn you, Geoff, but you wouldn’t listen.”

  “Why did you do it, Russ?”

  Studying him, Russ ignored the question. “You know,” he said almost musingly, “you’re much less emotional than you once were. Colder. I have little doubt that, were the tables reversed, you’d be entirely capable of killing me right now. It’s odd how a head injury can change a person that way”

  Geoff said nothing, preferring to let Russell ramble on if he chose to It would give Geoff tune to think of a way out of this. He hoped.

  “Once you wouldn’t even have been capable of killing an animal. You never did hunt, you know.”

  “Most animals don’t deserve to die,” Geoff observed blandly as his mind continued to race.

  Russ smiled. It was the coldest smile Geoff had ever seen. “Touché,” he said. “You asked why I did this.” Geoff nodded. “For the money, of course. What other reason would there be? I have bank accounts all over the world.”

  “Does Winston?”

  “I would imagine so. Although he’s a bit lacking in social skills, he’s a very bright boy, you know Totally unappreciated by his family. I don’t imagine he’ll be unemployed for long, if he can keep himself out of trouble, that is. Actually that’s how we met. He approached me to take care of a small problem for him with a Vancouver organization, which I very kindly did. After that, well, let’s just say he was grateful.”

  Geoff nodded and cast a pointed glance at the pistol Russ held. “So what happens now?”

  “I suppose I’m going to have to kill you. I had hoped that I wouldn’t have to do it. At least not personally—I’ve always liked you, you know—but when you disappeared after the plane crash I suspected that one day it would come to this.”

  There was a faint noise from the reception area. An indrawn breath? Geoff glanced once again toward the door and caught sight of a very familiar head of dark brown hair. Devon! Oh, no! At least, Russell didn’t appear to have heard her. He had to keep the conversation going, and pray that Devon got out of there. “You knew I was alive?” Geoff asked conversationally.

  “Oh, not for certain Not until the day I saw you in Northridge. But, I suspected.”

  “You saw me in Northridge! When?” Geoff strained his ears toward the outer office.

  “Delta Systems supplies customized software for the entire Noralco corporation. I had to go to Northridge one day—to maintain customer relations, you know—and I almost bumped into you. You, however, showed not the slightest hint of recognition, so I asked the Noralco foreman who you were. After I had your assumed name, it took a bare minimum of probing to learn Jack Keller’s story. That’s the nice thing about small towns—everyone knows everything about everyone. I also learned that even in the kind of job you had up there you maintained a schedule. That’s one thing that hasn’t changed. You were always a creature of habit, Geoff.”

  Geoff frowned. “You arranged for that Noralco explosion?”

  “Of course. I couldn’t risk your memory returning, or someone who knew you discovering your new life. I figured, with a little careful planning to get as many men as possible out of the way, I could have you taken care of without risking any personal connection to you or your death. I even found a man who had a strong personal motive to do the job, an ex-employee with a grudge. But as usual, you came out alive and a hero on top of it.”

  Geoff stared at him. Russ’s own plan had backfired. “It was the news coverage of the warehouse explosion that allowed Devon to finally find me.”

  Russell shrugged “Oh, well. Even geniuses make mistakes. And the unpredictability of human action and reaction is virtually impossible to prepare for For example, I had no way of knowing that Devon would cancel out of the plane trip two years ago either.”

  “The plane trip that you had ensured would be one way.”

  “You’re very perceptive.”

  “Was it you making the threatening phone calls?” he demanded.

  “Hardly, Geoff. There are employees available for that kind of work. Though they’re not as reliable as they used to be.”

  “The break-in,” Geoff said. “What were you trying to steal?”

  Russ grinned. “Not quite as smart as I gave you credit for yet, are you? The break-in was designed to make you think a theft had occurred while the true purpose was to plant a listening device. It worked quite well too until Devon decided she didn’t want you around. Women can be so fickle, can’t they? So hard to figure.”

  Keeping the muzzle of the small black gun trained on Geoff, Russell rose and moved to the side as though preparing to leave. Of course! He couldn’t kill Geoff here in the office. The number of people with access to the building was too small. Russ would immediately be on any list of suspects.

  “Why did you have to plan to kill everyone on the plane when it was me you wanted?” Geoff asked. The shadow was still moving in the outer office. Dammit, Devon! Get out! he wanted to yell.

  Russ shook his head, as though in disappointment at Geoff’s lack of understanding, and then explained. “Not just you. Spencer, too. If I hadn’t done it, you and Spencer would have ruined everything. But, I gave the investigators a fall guy when I deposited a hundred thousand dollars to Spencer’s personal account. There is a fortune to be made in industrial espionage, you know, Geoff. And I’m among the best in the business simply by having the foresight to have a back door installed into all of my security systems that allows my clients to easily circumvent specific systems without that infiltration being detected. I have clients all over the world. And, I’m rich.”

  He indicated with the muzzle of the gun that it was time for Geoff to rise. “Let’s go. It’s time for you to disappear again, only this time...you won’t be coming home ”

  Shaking with a combination of shock, fear and fury, Devon stood in the reception area just outside the partially open door to Geoff’s office. She’d been about to knock and join them when she’d heard Geoff ask Russell if he’d hired Winston to sabotage the security systems. Fury at Russell. Manning had almost blinded her to how dangerous he was, how desperate Geoff’s situation was, but she’d checked her impulsive response at the last moment. Somehow, she had to help Geoff.

  She could see the gun in Russell’s hand Russell had only to take a half step forward and, if he glanced in her direction, he’d see her She had to do something quickly. But what?

  She didn’t want to leave long enough to place a call and try to explain the situation Russell was already on the verge of forcing Geoff to leave. If they left, she might never see Geoff again. The thought almost choked her, but she shoved it aside.

  Reaching across the secretary’s desk, she lifted the receiver from its cradle, dialed nine for an outside line, and then quietly but hastily dialed 9-1-1. She couldn’t risk talking, but hopefully it would bring help. Quietly she dropped the receiver onto the
secretary’s chair, out of sight.

  Now what could she do to stall Russell? Disarm him?

  Devon looked around the receptionist’s office for something with which to hit him, something to knock the gun from his hand. There wasn’t much to work with: a heavy-duty hole punch, a stapler, an electric pencil sharpener, a couple of phone books, a note spike, and some rolls of fax paper on the stand beneath the fax machine. She’d never realized before how unsuitable offices were to yielding up weapons. She eyed the note spike and nervously opted for a combination: the note spike, with the heavy old hole punch as backup Sidling back to the door, she listened for a moment.

  “Did Winston know about the plane being rigged?” Geoff was asking.

  Russell shook his head slightly. “Don’t be a fool, Geoff. Winston is a behind-the-scenes man. It’s what he excels at. He might have had his suspicions I suppose but I never told him any more than he needed to know to get his end of the job done.”

  Devon took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a second in relief. Thank you God, she sighed. At least her brother had not been a part of all of it.

  “Now come on,” Russ said, with a wave of the gun “It’s time to go.”

  God help me, she prayed. She had only seconds left in which to act!

  Chapter 15

  Gripping her makeshift weapons tightly in her hands, Devon girded herself with every scrap of courage she possessed and burst into the room. Focusing with single-minded determination on her objective, she didn’t even glance in Geoff’s direction as she raced toward Russ, her right hand raised high with the note spike at the ready. Within two giant steps she was upon him He’d just looked her way, his cold blue eyes registering faint surprise, when she struck without giving herself time to think Plunging the note spike into his shoulder, she brought the hole punch down on his gun arm with as much punishing force as she was capable of delivering in a left-handed blow.

  It worked! With a howl of rage and pain, Russell dropped the gun.

  Peripherally, Devon was aware that Geoff launched himself over the corner of his desk and scrambled toward them. But before she knew what had happened, before Geoff could get close, Devon found herself trapped in an iron grip, her arms trapped at her sides and her jaw clasped in a painful, viselike hold.

  “Another step and she dies,” Russell warned Geoff in an arctic tone that was at odds with the warmth of his breath as it fanned over her ear and cheek. Somehow Devon had expected someone so cold-blooded to be totally devoid of human warmth.

  Geoff halted. “You wouldn’t.”

  “Oh, I assure you I would. I was a good soldier, you know. Killing is nothing new to me, nor is it as abhorrent as some seem to find it. But, if you want to put me to the test, go ahead. I promise she won’t feel a thing when I snap her neck.”

  Geoff stayed where he was and Devon sensed Russell relaxing slightly. “You married a smart man, Devon,” he murmured in her ear. “Too bad he wasn’t smart enough to leave things alone, don’t you think?”

  Since the grip on her jaw prevented her from speaking, Devon assumed he did not expect a response.

  “Now then, Geoff,” he said in a conversational tone, “I want you to back up behind the desk again.” Geoff didn’t move. “Do it!” Russ shouted. Devon jumped and cringed at the cold rage she heard in those two words.

  Slowly, carefully, Geoff eased back.

  “Devon,” Russ said, “I’m going to loosen my hold enough for you to bend down and pick up my gun. Can you do that?” He spoke in the gentle coaxing voice of one speaking to a child and loosened his grasp on her jaw enough for her to respond

  No! she wanted to scream. Giving him back his gun was the last thing she wanted. But what choice did she have? She looked at Geoff, searched his face for some sign of what he might want her to do, but his expression was glacial and unreadable. Finally, defeated for the moment, she nodded.

  “Good girl.” Russell’s tone was so condescending that Devon would have liked nothing better than to shove his words back into his throat with her fist. But, taking a cue from Geoff’s impassivity, she concealed her emotions. As Russell loosened his hold slightly, Devon bent to grasp the gun. “Easy now,” he cautioned “Pick it up by the barrel That’s it.”

  As soon as he had his gun in hand again, Russell shoved Devon forcefully toward Geoff. She wanted to fling herself into Geoff’s arms, to hug him in case it was their last opportunity, but, not wanting to get in the way, she stood at his side feeling ineffectual and useless. Thanks to the failure of her poorly conceived plan, they were now both captive. If only she’d gone for help. All she could do now was hope that the police arrived to check out that open line to 9-1-1. Damn! How could she have been so stupid? She’d only made things worse.

  She studied Russ. Blood from the puncture wound she’d inflicted on his shoulder stained his light gray suit, but it didn’t seem to affect him much. He was having no trouble holding the gun.

  He noticed her perusal. “Oh, don’t worry, my dear girl Other than a rather painful bruise on my forearm and a slightly annoying affront to my shoulder, I’m quite all right.”

  “Too bad,” Devon replied, unable to contain her rancor. “I hope you get blood poisoning.”

  Russell smiled “Well Geoff, at least your poor wife won’t be left wondering what happened to you this time. She’ll be joining you.” Then his smile disappeared “Move it. Both of you. We’re leaving.” When neither of them moved, he looked at Geoff warningly. “I want to make this look like an accident, but it isn’t absolutely necessary. My own disappearance has been planned for some time now. So, if you try anything, the first bullet is for Devon. You understand?”

  Geoff nodded.

  “Good. Then, put on your jacket, hold your wife’s hand and walk out of here side by side.”

  Geoff’s hand warmed her icy fingers as they made their way to the main door with Russell right behind them.

  “How did you know I’d be here today?” Geoff asked.

  “I’ve had you watched for some time now, Geoff. You and Devon. I couldn’t trust you not to regain your memory, or, as it turns out, not to meddle. So, there isn’t much I don’t know about you.”

  As they stepped onto the tarmac of the parking lot a couple of minutes later, the sun was high in the sky, the cloud cover that had settled in earlier already gone. Devon looked at the huge expanse of blue sky overhead, and wondered if she’d live to see another day. It was early March. In another few weeks, the fruit trees would be in bloom Spring was her favorite season; she’d hate to miss it. But, at the moment, it looked as though they needed a miracle.

  There were no police in sight yet. But then, despite the fact that it seemed much more time had passed, it had probably been less than five minutes since she’d dialed.

  The parking lot was empty except for Geoff’s Bronco and Devon’s Jeep. The Bronco was the nearest.

  Where had Russell parked?

  Glancing at Geoff she saw him scan the parking lot, too. Their eyes met and she perceived some powerful emotion that she was incapable of interpreting in the depths of his eyes.

  Had he learned to love her again? she wondered. He’d said once that he wanted to see if he could reclaim his life in its entirety. He’d wanted to see if he could fall in love with her again Suddenly the answer to that question seemed very important. Oh, Lord! Why had she wasted so much of their time together? If only God would grant her one more miracle, she’d never waste another moment of her time with Geoff on analyzing their relationship. She’d live it to the fullest. If only...

  But she couldn’t allow herself to think about that now. The thought of losing something so newly found, so precious, would be her undoing, and she wouldn’t allow herself to lose control.

  So, she focused her attention on the empty parking lot. Russell had probably parked around back to ensure that no one saw his vehicle, she concluded. That way there’d be no witnesses to tie him to the area.

  Witnesses. Oh, God! She was goi
ng to be killed. A jolt of icy terror raced through her veins.

  “Open the driver’s door, Geoff,” Russ directed as they approached the Bronco. Geoff obeyed. “Now unlock the rear door ” When Geoff had once again done as directed, Russ prodded Devon with the muzzle of the handgun. “Get in front. Slide across to the passenger side.”

  As soon as Devon had complied with his orders, he stepped back slightly in order to grip the rear door handle Keeping the gun carefully trained on Devon, he opened the door and got in to sit on the edge of the rear seat Then, looking at Geoff, he said, “Get in and start it.”

  The vehicle roared to life Devon automatically put on her seat belt. The incongruity of the action struck her a moment later. How odd that she would cling to habit even in a moment like this, but perhaps she needed the normalcy of the act. “Okay, now what?” Geoff asked.

  “Go to Westbank and take 97-C west,” Russell ordered, referring to a roadway carved out of the mountains that had shortened the distance to the west coast considerably. “I’ll let you know when to get off.”

  They had just left the parking lot when Devon noticed the police turning in. Too late! She prayed that they’d noticed the Bronco leaving and would follow, but her prayer was in vain.

  Geoff drove in silence while Devon stared at the passing traffic. So many people going about their daily business without any inkling that only feet away from them two people were at the mercy of a killer. A police cruiser passed and she prayed for a miracle, but it didn’t materialize

  As they turned a few minutes later and began to climb up into the mountains where patches of snow were more plentiful despite the warm weather they’d had recently, Geoff spoke for the first time since starting the Bronco. “Where are we going?” He looked at Russ in the rearview mirror.

  Russell stared at him and then shrugged. “There’s a turnoff up here. The road leads to a place that overlooks a romantic little waterfall. It’s probably just starting to thaw a bit at this time of the year ”