‘Are you going to stand there and let him treat me like this?’ Catherine cried out to Grace.
Grace folded her arms across her chest. ‘You brought this on yourself, Cat. Just answer Jack’s questions. And let’s see what’s in your purse.’
‘All right. All right. I didn’t lose my phone, but the bit about the conference was true.’
‘Go on,’ said Jack.
‘I was supposed to meet Daniel at Heathrow. When Grace started leaving messages I thought she’d found out.’
‘Found out that you and Daniel were having an affair?’
Catherine snickered. ‘Aren’t you the clever one, Jack? What gave me away?’
Grace paled. She’d wondered about it, but never imagined Catherine would say it, and with such complete disregard for her feelings.
‘What gave you away?’ asked Jack. ‘Damned near everything. Your constant lies. Your appearance out of nowhere. Your inability to respond to your sister when she called you in shock and pain. Most of all, your lack of surprise when Grace told you about the Miami bank account, and the fact you knew where the safe was.’
Grace tilted her head back, furious with her sister, but most of all with herself for not seeing what had been happening right under her nose.
‘The blue cocktail dress! I knew it was familiar—you wore it last Christmas—and the perfume I smelled on the fabric, it’s the one you’re wearing now. I knew cats on heat would take on any male, but your own sister’s husband? How could you?’
Catherine shrugged. ‘Just another reason they call me Cat,’ she smiled.
‘You heartless bitch!’
‘Oh, come on, darling sister. It was easy. Who do you think got you tickets for Wimbledon? Me! And all those conferences Daniel told you he was attending? In reality, he was actually spending time with me here at Sand Dollars. He had a nickname for you. He called you his little nun!’ She turned to Jack. ‘What does that tell you about what she’s like in bed?’
‘You…vulgar…whore.’ Grace’s hand shot out and cracked across Catherine’s face.
Stunned, Catherine lifted her hand to her reddened cheek. ‘My God…Grace! You’ve never struck me before.’
‘Who’s idea was the scam—yours or Elliott’s?’ Jack asked.
‘Why, Daniel’s of course,’ said Catherine, hand still to her cheek. ‘He did it all, you know. Every bit of it was his fault.’
‘I don’t believe you,’ screamed Grace, eyes puffy with tears. She shook her fists in front of Catherine’s face. ‘Daniel wasn’t like that.’
‘How do you know, Gracie? You never knew the man. Daniel liked money, but he had no ambition. I introduced him to Salazar, who was looking for an accountant, someone who was prepared to bend the rules and not ask too many questions.’
Jack crossed his arms. ‘How’d you meet this Salazar?’
‘At a nightclub. I was with a group of other pharmaceutical reps. He said his wife was dying and he’d heard about this new drug my employers had developed, but his doctor wouldn’t prescribe it. I felt sorry for him, so I got some for him.’
‘Which he copied in his factory along with the other drugs you supplied to him, and no doubt helped sell.’
Catherine ignored Jack ‘Daniel transferred Salazar’s money around Europe and the U.S. He started skimming some off for himself, just small amounts at first, but then he got greedy. He bought this house and we were going to live here.’
‘But there was just the small matter of his wife.’
‘She was an inconvenience. He never loved you, Grace. Not for a single minute. In fact, he made me get stuff to poison you with. Yes, that’s right. He wanted you to die, darling Gracie. I begged him to divorce you. But no, he wanted you dead. That’s how he felt about you, sweetie. I defended you. You’re my sister and I wouldn’t let him kill you.’
‘Shut up, Catherine! I don’t believe a word you’ve said.’
‘I don’t believe you either,’ said Jack. ‘You’ve been in non-stop lying mode since you got here.’
‘Believe what you like. I talked him into making arrangements for both of us—in case anything happened to him before we had chance to put his plans into action. He eventually listened to me, he left you pretty well off, I must say.’
‘You told him to make arrangements?’ said Jack. ‘Now why would you do something like that unless you planned his death?’
‘Oh, shove it, West. I loved him. I loved my sister more. I had no idea he’d go and die on all of us…and he wasn’t supposed to leave her my house!’
Jack grimaced. ‘Keep going. You’re digging yourself a pretty efficient hole. What happened to him? How did he die?’
‘I’m telling you the truth, Jack. I honestly don’t know. When he didn’t meet me at the airport, I went to work as normal. I expected him to call me later in the day. When he didn’t—’
‘You packed your bags and ran.’
‘The rep who was supposed to attend the conference called in sick. I was asked to go in his place.’
Grace stared at her sister in disgust. ‘What will happen to her now?’
Jack’s eyes narrowed. ‘That’ll be up to the judge to decide, but she’s looking at a lengthy prison sentence.’
Catherine shoved Grace hard, knocking her sideways into Jack and dashed down the hall. Within seconds she was out of the house and heading for the sand dunes.
CHAPTER THIRTY
‘Grace! Wait’ shouted Jack, but it was too late. Grace sped after her sister through the garden. He cursed and took off after her, but tripped over the roots of the tree at the side of the gate and crashed to his knees. He climbed to his feet and caught sight of Grace as she disappeared through the Sea Grape towards the picnic tables on the beach.
A late afternoon rainstorm had drifted in from the gulf, sending sun worshipers and tourists scurrying indoors. Water trickled down Jack’s neck and by the time he reached the picnic tables his shirt was plastered to his back. He ignored the discomfort and the waves crashing on the beach, and concentrated on following Grace and her sister.
A lone, black BMW sat in the corner of the parking lot adjacent to the state park. Its single occupant clearly visible through the rain splattered windshield. Jack was so furious with Grace that he didn’t notice the door open.
‘That’s far enough, Agent West.’ A short, stocky man climbed out, and pointed a heavy revolver at the centre of Jack’s chest. ‘Drop your weapon. I don’t wish to kill you. At least not yet.’
Jack took his gun out of the holder and placed it on the ground in front of him, then slowly raised his arms. ‘What do you want, Salazar?’
‘I see you know who I am,’ He pocketed Jack’s gun and patted him down.
‘Yeah, Catherine told me what you do for a living.’
‘Then you know I’ve come for my money and the disks.’
‘Can’t help you, man. Besides, I have to meet someone.’ His eyes focused on the grey swelling sea.
Salazar came closer. ‘You mean the lovely Mrs. Elliott and her equally beautiful sister? I’m afraid that’s not a possibility. They met one of my associates along the way while they were out for what appears to be an afternoon run.’
Jack’s eyes flickered. ‘Where are they?’
‘They’re safe. Come, I will show you.’
Salazar dug the barrel of his gun into Jack’s ribs. ‘If you don’t let me show you, Agent West, I’m likely to put a large hole right here.’
‘I wouldn’t want that,’ said Jack flatly. ‘I just bought this shirt. I wouldn’t be able to take it back to Nordstom’s.’
‘You’re every bit as droll as I was led to believe. Let’s go see your lady friends, shall we?’
They walked slowly towards the tall white, hexagonal structure of the range light.
Salazar swung the door open, and shoved Jack inside. Weak strands of light from a mottled window thirty feet above his head cast yellowed shadows over the floor.
Grace and Catherine
were hunched together on the bottom step of the narrow spiral staircase leading to the lantern room and gallery at the top of the hundred and five foot tower. A thin, wiry man stood guard over them.
Salazar nodded to Catherine. ‘Start climbing. You go next, Vasquez.’
Grace was about to scream when Vasquez bent down and shoved her into the corner. She let go a hissing sound as her head connected with the steel wall.
‘Bastard!’ shouted Jack. ‘When I get free, you better—’
‘I better what, Agent West? Don’t you see how powerless you are?’
Salazar reached over to Catherine and yanked her to her feet. He looked in her in the eye for a long moment. She lifted her head defiantly and, with a smirk, spit into Salazar’s left eye. He lost his balance, wiping his eye with his free hand. Then clucking softly in disapproval, he slapped her hard and slammed her against the wall. A low tortured sob escaped her lips and she rubbed her head.
‘Let go of my sister,’ howled Grace, still dizzy. A trickle of blood flowed down her forehead. ‘Let her go, damn you!’
‘Of course,’ said Salazar. He released his grip on Catherine. She sagged for a moment then Vasquez encircled her neck with his left arm, and forced her up the stairs.
‘Now you, Mrs. Elliott.’
She looked at Jack, eyes filled with darkness and terror.
‘Do as he says, Grace. You’re worth more alive than dead to him,’ said Jack.
‘Take Agent West’s advice, Mrs. Elliott. If you do not—I’ll kill him. With pleasure.’
Grace started to climb, each unsteady step clanging on the metal staircase. ‘It’s me you want. Let them go.’
‘Very touching. But I’m afraid it’s too late.’
Catherine stumbled and lurched, and fell head first onto the tread above. Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth onto her T-shirt. Vasquez grabbed a handful of hair and yanked her to her feet. She screamed, the sound reverberating off the steel tower.
‘Make him stop!’ shrieked Grace. ‘Make him stop hurting her.’
‘Ah, sisterly love. What a pity Catherine doesn’t feel the same way about you, Mrs. Elliott.’
‘That’s enough, Salazar,’ Jack growled. ‘Call off your gorilla. There’s no point hurting them. They don’t know anything.’ Salazar gouged him in the back with his revolver. Jack groaned in pain. ‘And among other sins, you killed Kennedy. Didn’t you? Why?’
Salazar shrugged. ‘He got greedy. It’s quite all right for me to be greedy, Agent West, but not those I hire. So it was a case of bang-bang, bye-bye. Yes. I think that sums it up quite nicely.’
Jack’s muscles tensed. Above him, one of the women whimpered loudly. There was another clanging sound. Grace? He had to stay focused. ‘What about Anderson?’
‘Let’s say he won’t be coming to your aid anytime soon. He met Vasquez.’
Another muffled cry. Jack couldn’t tell if it was Grace or Catherine. He looked into Salazar’s empty eyes and searched for a crack in the armour.
‘You’ve got a pretty slick operation, Salazar. It’s just too bad you picked the wrong man to launder your money. When did you realize Elliott was skimming cash from your accounts?’
Salazar sighed and shook his head. ‘Two months ago. When I asked him about the losses, he blamed the fluctuations in currency exchange rates. At first I believed him, but the sums involved were too large and the losses too regular.’
‘So you had him killed.’
Salazar’s tongue darted over his lips. ‘A large dose of barbiturates slipped into a lunchtime curry ensured that he fell asleep behind the wheel.’
‘Let me guess. That lawyer, Parous set up the dummy corporations and bank accounts, and told you about Elliott buying Sand Dollars. And Jacobs flew the counterfeit drugs into the U.S., right?’
Salazar frowned. ‘Not even your DEA pays much attention to a seaplane flying between the Barrier islands and mainland.’
Once inside the small lantern room at the top of the tower, Jack studied Salazar. He was breathless and sweaty, but the gun in his hand was rock steady. He mopped his brow with a handkerchief.
‘What’s the matter, old boy, miss a few aerobics classes?’
‘Laugh all you like, Agent West. These are your last few moments on this earth.’
‘So tell me, what’s in the computer files? Come on, Salazar. You’ve got the gun and you’re going to kill me anyway, so what’s the harm? Besides, confession’s good for the soul, or so they say.’
Salazar gave a grunt of a laugh. ‘I’d heard you had a sense of humour even in dire situations. My sources were not wrong. Very well, records showing the movement of funds from one offshore account to another.’
Salazar levelled his gun at Catherine’s pale and bloody face. ‘So now my story is done. Give me the disks, Mrs. Elliott, or your darling sister dies.’
‘Give them to him, Grace,’ Catherine whispered hoarsely. ‘You can’t let him do this to me!’
‘I can’t,’ said Grace, drawing a shaky breath. ‘I don’t have them.’
‘What do you mean?’ wailed Catherine. ‘Save me, God damn you! He’s got a gun in my face!’
‘I really don’t have them,’ Grace stuttered. ‘They…they must have been destroyed when Daniel’s car caught fire.’
‘You’re lying!’ Salazar yelled, enraged. The gun shook in his hand. Catherine whimpered.
‘She’s telling the truth,’ Jack snarled.
Salazar lowered the gun. ‘I believe you. Very well. The disks are an acceptable loss. The cost of doing business, as I believe you say, here in America. So Vasquez here will keep you and Catherine company, Agent West, while Mrs. Elliott and I go to her bank and arrange to transfer the money to my account.’
Cold sweat trickled down Jack’s bruised ribs. He considered the options and didn’t like any of them. His thoughts were a flurry. Then it hit him.
‘Salazar, you know Elliott went by another name? He also called himself Lionel Lattide?’
The little man spun round and glared at Catherine. ‘It was you!’
‘What do you mean?’ whimpered Catherine.
‘You talked Daniel into stealing from me! That’s why you asked me to get those fake passports.’
Catherine was suddenly still. Her tears halted. Her trembling lips formed a broad sneer.
‘That’s right, you creepy, disgusting little gnome. Without me, you’re nothing,’ Catherine spat. ‘Who got you the formulas and samples of the drugs? Me! And what was my share? A measly ten per cent while you raked in millions. Daniel only took from you what was rightfully mine!’
Catherine turned and kneed Vasquez in the balls. He moaned and clutched his groin, dropping his gun and sank to his knees.
Jack lashed out with his right foot and kicked Salazar’s gun out of his hand, then landed an upper cut to his jaw. Salazar spat blood and foam, and stumbled back into the steel wall, then slid slowly down to the floor, unconscious.
Grace grabbed Vasquez’s gun from the floor. Her eyes locked with his. Still kneeling in pain, he looked at the barrel and raised one hand, then another.
‘Don’t you dare move,’ she said ‘On second thought, please do move so I can blow out what little brains you have!’
Jack’s hand’s wrapped round hers. ‘Easy, Grace.’ He took the gun from her, but kept the barrel aimed at Vasquez. ‘Get my cell phone. It’s in my back pocket. Call the first number you see on speed dial. They’ll be here in a heartbeat.’
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
Miami
Seventy-two hours later.
Jack knocked on the door of the coronary care unit. ‘I hope they’ll allow us in,’ he said to Grace, who cradled Emilia in her arms.
‘Chrissie said it was okay provided we only stayed for a few minutes.’
Jack smiled, and kissed her cheek, then his daughter’s, and wondered how he’d gotten so lucky. She looks so content.’
‘Babies are sensitive, Jack. They know when the person ho
lding them cares.’
‘Do you? Do you care?’
Grace looked up at him. Her tear-bright eyes brimmed with happiness. ‘How could I not love her, when I love her father so much?’
Jack opened the door. Mike Zupanik sat propped up in bed, a heart monitor strapped to his chest, a drip connected to his arm.
‘My God,’ said Mike. ‘You look like hell.’
Ring of Lies Page 27
