Chapter Twenty-Three
Annabelle gaped in shock at the vision in front of her. She looked like the same woman her stepbrother married: big blond hair, waifish figure, generous breasts. But gone were the dazed eyes and the vapid expression. In their place was a keen, shrewd gaze and an expression that was both chilling and deadly. “Vespa? What are you doing?”
“I prefer you call me The Viper. Vespa The Viper. Catchy, isn’t it?”
The eye that wasn’t swollen shut widened. “You’re The Viper?”
She looked pleased with herself. “I am. What, you don’t think a woman can be snakelike? How do you think all the little snakelets in the world get born? Or is it you don’t think a woman can be lethal?”
Oh, she did, but none of this made sense. “I thought The Viper was the one calling the shots with Bixby and the dogfighting ring.”
“That would be me, yes, among other…we’ll call them pursuits.”
“But…why would Robbie be in debt to Bixby if you were the one actually in charge? Wouldn’t that mean he owed you the money?”
“Now you’re catching on.” At her confused look, Vespa added, “Oh honey, you don’t think I married that loser for his looks, do you?”
Yes, she had. Her impressions of Vespa had been of a big-boobed blond bimbo with the brains of a tsetse fly. That had obviously all been an act and a good one. The woman in front of her was intelligent, calculating and stone cold.
“How did you find me?”
Vespa leaned back and steepled her French-manicured fingertips together. “Rather easily, actually. When Bixby grabbed you—which was all him, by the way. I never would’ve condoned him kidnapping you, darling stepsister.” And didn’t that make her feel ever so better? “I would’ve killed that bastard myself for torching what will soon be my mansion if Thompkins hadn’t beat me to it. Thankfully there wasn’t much damage.”
My mansion, she wanted to shout, but she had to pick her battles.
“Anyway, the two handsome hunks who rescued you teamed up with Thompkins to find you. He used to be a policeman. A dirty one,” she smiled, “but a cop, nonetheless. Did you know he’s the man your lawyer Archie called about the video you filmed of Robert and Bixby? He’d worked with Thompkins before and thought he could trust a former cop.” She chuckled. “His mistake, right?”
Annabelle wanted to throw up. Dear, sweet Mr. Windham put his faith in the man who killed him.
Vespa waved a hand. “But I digress. Thompkins was smart enough to get their fingerprints off something, I’m not sure what, nor do I care. He still had friends on the force who ran them and got a hit on Mr. Polizzi, a brother in blue. He schmoozed his current whereabouts from a former coworker and the rest, as they say, is history. Then it was just a matter of putting a team together and finding someone willing to further our cause.”
“Gabe.”
“Yes, adorable but selfishly greedy Gabe. It should make you feel better to know he balked at giving you up at first. It took a substantial bump in the original offer to secure his cooperation.”
What the hell did numbers matter when she didn’t plan on paying? “It doesn’t make me feel better.”
Vespa chuckled. “No, I suppose it wouldn’t.”
She still couldn’t wrap her head around Vespa being the one in charge. “You’ve come a long way, haven’t you, Louisa May?”
Vespa cocked her head. “Who?”
“You don’t remember your original name, Louisa May Milner from Idaho?”
Recognition dawned. “Ah, you mean Venus. Her name was Venus, she was a showgirl,” she sang to the tune of Copacabana. “Poor little airhead. I mean, who comes up with a name like Venus Voluptuous? I met her in Vegas. It was ridiculously easy to convince her she had star potential. I persuaded her to move to LA and then I conveniently stole her identity.”
My God, the woman was pathological. “After you killed her?”
“Well, there couldn’t be two women named Venus Voluptuous running around now, could there? I mean, it’s not the most inconspicuous name.” If she was expecting Annabelle to answer, she had a long wait. Apparently, she didn’t because she continued, “I did pay homage to her by taking the name Vespa Valentina.” She held up both hands, her first and middle fingers forming V’s. “Louisa May liked her vees. Would you like to know where I got the name Vespa?” Annabelle could care less, but Vespa forged on. “My last husband was riding one when he met his untimely demise. Cute little lemon yellow one.”
Last husband? How many were there? Was she some kind of serial husband killer? Vespa The Black Widow didn’t have the same panache as Vespa The Viper. “Let me guess—you helped his untimely demise along?”
Vespa smiled slyly. “Now why would you say a thing like that?”
She wasn’t going to play along with the woman. “You took your name from your dead husband’s scooter. Then why do you call yourself The Viper?”
Her smile was a wicked slash of white. “One bite from me and you die.”
Annabelle wanted to roll her eyes. How melodramatic. “Where does Robbie fit into all of this?”
“Careful research. I targeted him specifically for his inheritance. Then the idiot had to go and get himself disowned. I’d invested almost two years of my life to him that I couldn’t get back.”
“What would you have done if he had inherited the money?”
“What do you think?”
“Put him on a Vespa and run him over?”
The Viper threw back her head and laughed. “I do like you, Annabelle. It will be a pity to have to kill you.”
She swallowed hard, praying that by keeping the woman talking, Kellan would have more time to find her but then, how would he? Did he even realize she was gone? She kept vigilant, looking for an opportunity to either escape or gain an advantage, but she was outnumbered. The two goliaths standing guard at the door looked more than capable of squashing her like a cockroach. Even if she managed to grab Vespa’s gun, she wasn’t sure if a bullet would stop either one.
“Is that what you did to Robbie? Did you kill him? Is that why I haven’t been able to find him?”
“Oh, Robert isn’t dead…though he might wish he was,” she murmured, an evil grin tipping her lips.
“Then where is he?”
“He’s here. I need my dear husband alive, at least until he claims the fortune after your death.” She made a sympathetic sound.
“I want to see him.” She didn’t, but she was grasping at straws.
“Really?” Vespa tilted her head and fixed her with an intent stare. “I thought you hated your brother.”
“Stepbrother,” she corrected automatically. And she did hate him. In fact, he was the last person in the world she wanted to see—check that, second last. Vespa The Viper had slithered her way into the top spot. Look at that, she could still crack jokes.
“You know what, since I like you, Annabelle, I’ll honor your last request. Lewis, bring Robert to me.”
Annabelle slowly turned to see the man Vespa called Lewis drag what looked like an emaciated corpse into the room and deposit him on the floor.
She took a step forward. “Robbie?”
Her formerly fastidious stepbrother’s hair was tangled and matted, his face covered in bruises and blood. His clothes were soiled and hung on his slender frame. He looked like he’d lost thirty pounds since she saw him last. She dropped to his side. This was what Vespa did to the dogs she pitted against one another, but Robbie was a human being.
“F-forgive me, Annabelle,” Robbie whispered.
It wasn’t an easy request, but Robbie didn’t look like he’d hold on much longer. It might be better for him if he didn’t. If her forgiveness would bring him a measure of peace, she had to do it—for Rob, if nothing else. “I forgive you, Robbie.”
With closed eyes, he wheezed out an exhale and nodded. “Thank you.”
She pushed to her feet and glared at Vespa. Sweeping a hand to indicate Robbie, she asked, “How c
ould you do this to him? Have you no soul?”
Vespa stood and rounded the desk to lean against it. “What do you care? You hate him, remember?”
“This is inhumane. How do you expect him to claim the fortune after you kill me if he can’t even lift his head?”
“Dear, sweet, simple Annabelle, there are so many ways. Robbie could have any disease from cancer to Aids and it’s ravaged his body. He’ll need the money for his treatment, and his loving wife will be at his side to make sure he gets the expert care he needs to make his remaining days as comfortable as possible.”
Annabelle pointed to him again. “He’s not going to make it much longer. He’s practically dead already.”
Vespa reached for the gun lying beside her on the desk and then pushed to her five-inch stiletto heels. “Then it looks like we better get this show on the road.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
The plans had been finalized and they were finally on their way to rescue Annabelle. Ethan had gone back to question Thompkins and returned with the information that there were only four guards with The Viper. Thompkins hadn’t met them, didn’t know anything about them or the house where the GPS on Kline’s truck indicated they were holed up for now.
It would’ve been much faster if they could’ve used the chopper and fast-roped down, but that option was out since it’d been destroyed in the bombing. Four SUV’s full of his coworkers were racing to the house. He was a passenger in one driven by Ethan, with Noah, Mason, Sawyer and Kayla Hepburn. Using satellite imaging, Peter found a road that led to the property behind the house. They were headed there. Once they were in position, two crews would take up positions on either side of the house, while one vehicle approached from the front to engage the guards. They’d have the house surrounded. Kellan’s crew would then sneak in from behind and rescue Annabelle. He refused to entertain any other scenario.
They closed in on the spot where the properties met. Ethan parked and they silently filed through the copse of trees that butted up against the back of the property. Mason led the way and stopped when the house came into view. He lifted binoculars to his eyes.
“Two guards outside. Kline’s down, half his face missing.”
Well, that saved Kellan from killing the man himself.
Sawyer opened a silver case and sent Tyler’s bug-sized drone airborne so they could observe inside the house. The derelict structure leaned heavily to one side. The bug slipped in the open door where two men were standing guard—or rather sitting. The room was empty except for a desk and chair. Drywall was gone from the walls to reveal termite-chewed studs and chunks of the ceiling were missing, the rotting roof rafters visible. Kellan’s heart leaped with unfettered joy to discover Annabelle alive. She was crouched over someone on the floor, while a woman leaned against the desk. Most of the windows were missing, their gaping maws covered with plywood or duct-taped black tarp except for one inside a bedroom with a soiled mattress on the floor.
He tapped the screen Sawyer held in his hands. “That’s our entry point.”
Noah slipped by and used a pair of wire cutters to snip an opening in the fence.
“We’re approaching the front now,” Luke announced.
A cloud of smoke kicked up as the SUV barreled down the dirt road. The two men outside shot to their feet at the approaching threat. Kellan led the way, sprinting for the side of the house. Kayla peeked in the window and then applied suction cups to the glass while Mason used a glass cutter to carve a large square hole. As soon as Kayla lifted the pane out of the way, Kellan launched himself inside.
Gunfire sounded outside as he inched his way to the room where Annabelle was being held. His coworkers were behind him, letting him take the lead. One glance told him that the two inside guards had fled outside to help their comrades. He glanced at the body on the floor in shock. Robbie Singleton. He looked a step away from death’s door.
Using hand signals, he counted down from three and they burst into the room, guns blazing. A woman was standing with her back to the wall, her gun pressed against the base of Annabelle’s skull. Annabelle’s eyes locked with his—check that. Eye. Singular. One was swollen again and by God, he’d get retribution this time for someone hurting her.
“Hello, gentlemen,” the woman purred.
Kellan shook his head and blinked. It couldn’t be. The woman looked exactly like Robbie’s insipid wife, Vespa.
“You’re The Viper?” How was that possible. So many things didn’t add up.
She smiled with pride. “I am, and I’m afraid you’ve wasted your time. Annabelle is coming with me and you are going to stand back and let us walk right by.”
“Like hell,” he snarled.
“Show them, Annabelle.”
He met her gaze again, trying to convey assurance that he’d get her out of this alive. Without breaking eye contact, she peeled open each side of a blue button-front shirt to reveal a vest loaded with heavy-duty explosives.
Chapter Twenty-Five
During the last few weeks, Kellan had taught Annabelle how to shoot a gun with decent accuracy, how to break the hold of someone trying to grab her, and how to defend herself in several scenarios. He did not teach her how to disarm an explosive.
When she heard a vehicle approach, she knew the cavalry had come for her. Somehow, Kellan had found her. But then Vespa held a gun to her head and forced her to don a heavy vest laden with explosives. Then the room filled with people. Ethan, Mason, Sawyer and Noah. Her eye locked on Kellan. She was so happy to see him, tears gathered. She might very well die in the next few minutes. Getting to see his face one more time was a small blessing she didn’t think she’d be afforded.
Vespa ordered her to show them the vest. Grabbing either side of the shirt the woman forced her to put on to cover the explosives, she opened it, never taking her gaze from Kellan. His eyes moved from hers to the vest and his jaw tightened. She was shocked to see the level of rage in his expression when he looked up again.
“See this?” Vespa wiggled a small black device. “It’s a dead man’s switch. I’m sure you big, strapping men know what that means, but if I let go of this button—boom! You’re all human confetti.” She spared a glance outside. “Seeing as how the shooting has stopped, I assume you’ve killed all of my men. Pity. Call your boys off. Annabelle and I are leaving now.”
“You don’t think you’re just going to walk out of here, do you,” Kellan asked, his voice a low and deadly rumble.
“As a matter of fact, I do.” She lifted her hand. “Dead man’s switch. Remember? You shoot me and—kaboom. We all die.” She nudged Annabelle forward. “Have one of your men out there bring a vehicle and leave the door open. Don’t forget to tell them about the switch.”
Annabelle knew they were all wearing comm devices, but Kellan made a show of punching numbers on his phone and pacing across the room. Vespa turned her so they could follow his movements. His coworkers were all standing with their guns at their sides, ready to spring into action. She sent them grateful smiles that they’d risked their lives to come to her aid.
Annabelle had never seen Kellan have an animated conversation, but he was having one now, gesturing and pacing. His voice was agitated as he argued with the person on the other end of the line.
“I think he’s having trouble securing our transportation, don’t you, Annabelle?” Vespa didn’t expect a response. “How about I give him some incentive.”
Before she could react, Vespa pointed the gun and fired.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Kellan was doing his damnedest to keep Vespa’s attention focused on him. He paced away from his coworkers, yelling into the phone, feeling very much like George Costanza in that episode of Seinfeld where George’s boss nicknamed him Koko because he was flailing around like a monkey. One glance at Vespa’s amused smile and he saw that his ruse was working. She was obviously entertained by his antics. The next thing he knew a gun went off and he felt a searing burn in his leg. Annabelle screamed.
“Koko down,” he mumbled, dropping to one knee. He tried to control his breathing, but the pain was excruciating.
“I wouldn’t do that, gentlemen.”
He lifted his head to see Mason, Sawyer, Ethan and Noah all pointing their weapons at Vespa, but she just wiggled the dead man’s switch with a malevolent grin.
She never saw what was coming.
Kayla Hepburn dropped from the rafters and latched onto Vespa’s hand to keep the button depressed. Vespa let out an earsplitting shriek and tried to buck Kayla off. His whole attempt to distract Vespa was for Kayla to scramble into place without the other woman realizing what was happening.
He reached for Annabelle, but his leg wasn’t cooperating. Then Mason was easing him to the floor. Ethan helped him out by racing to her and lifting the vest strapped with blocks of C4 over her head. Noah took it from his hands and sprinted outside. Sawyer attempted to help Kayla but Vespa was thrashing about and managed to clamp her teeth on Kayla’s hand. Kayla yelped in pain. It was enough for Vespa to wrestle control of the device away and release the button.
Mason covered him as a loud boom sounded outside.
“Annabelle,” he croaked, struggling to get up and find her.
“Lay still, bud,” Mason said. “I don’t want to have to apply a tourniquet.”
That didn’t sound good. Then his face contorted in agony, his teeth clenching as darkness danced along the periphery of his vision. “Damn, Mason,” he hissed.
“I know. Sorry. I need to apply pressure to stop the bleeding.”
“Kellan?”
Annabelle’s beautiful face appeared and despite the excruciating pain, he smiled. She was here and she was safe.
“Love you,” he said before the blackness consumed him.
#
Annabelle recoiled as a gun exploded so close to her head, she feared her eardrums had shattered. Then her eye widened in horror as Kellan dropped to one knee, his khaki tactical pants instantly turning red. Vespa shot him!
The Viper (COBRA Securities Book 15) Page 26
