In a daze, Lori went back to the table. She studied her uncle, and the pieces began to fall into place. “You killed my father?”
“It’s unfortunate that you found out,” Sheldon said. “It would have been better if you’d died without ever suspecting me.”
Lori’s palms sweated and her pulse pounded. She glanced at the plate of spaghetti. “You’re going to poison me, too?”
“Of course not,” Sheldon said. “That would be a little obvious, don’t you think? I have something much more dramatic planned for you.”
Lori’s mouth was dry. “My father was dying. You knew…yet you didn’t stop it.”
“It was the only way,” Sheldon said. “Things could have been different. Robert could have agreed to a business arrangement. Instead, he threatened to turn me in. I couldn’t let that happen.”
Lori struggled to come up with a way out of this, and she didn’t know how much time she had. It was best to keep him talking. “How did you get the Prussian blue?”
“Katherine was quite accommodating,” Sheldon said. “I paid her well, but then she messed up. She was supposed to delete the item from the supply list once the bottle arrived.”
“Why order the antidote if you planned for my father to die?”
“A preemptive measure, you might say. One can’t be too careful. On the chance that any of the thallium had gotten into my system, I would have been able to deal with the poisoning before any damage had been done.”
“But you killed your own brother.”
“That’s where you’re mistaken,” Sheldon said. “Robert was my half-brother. My father was Sicilian. Robert wasn’t even Italian. He wasn’t family.”
“That justified killing him?”
“No, that was just business,” Sheldon said. “I’ve worked hard to get where I am, and I plan to continue living in the manner to which I’ve become accustomed.”
Lori felt faint. “But why murder?”
“You still don’t get it, do you?” Sheldon said. “The clinic…that’s what this is all about. Your father controlled it, and now you do. If only you’d married Matt. He would have cooperated.”
“Was Matt an accomplice?”
“To the murder?” Sheldon said. “I acted alone, but Matt has been useful as a liaison. Now you’ve ruined that, too.”
“You’re working with the mob?”
“Don’t sound so surprised,” Sheldon said. “I ensure drugs are funneled into their operation, and I’m paid substantially.”
“And they will kill to keep that supply line?”
“Oh, maybe in the old days,” Sheldon said. “But they are businessmen, so they prefer for me do the dirty work.”
“You won’t get away with this.”
“The way things are going, Matt will take the fall. He was arrested for drug dealing. It won’t be much of a leap to believe that he was responsible for the murder.”
“But no one can prove Matt killed my father.”
“That’s the beauty of it,” Sheldon said. “Poison is the perfect murder weapon. By the time the victim dies, his murderer is nowhere around. I killed your father, but I won’t be suspected.”
“But I know,” Lori said.
“Very soon, that won’t matter.”
“How do you plan to kill me?” Lori said.
“I don’t,” Sheldon said. “That would be too risky. But your friends in the Mustang will do it for me.”
“They are working with you?”
“Yes, and if you’d been smart, it wouldn’t have come to this,” Sheldon said. “The chase was supposed to scare you. Then you would have jumped at my offer to take over the clinic. And you might have, if your boyfriend hadn’t been around to protect you.”
If only Gunner was there, he would know what to do. “Even if you have me killed, what’s to say the murder won’t be linked to you?”
“You forget that your clinic was involved in drug dealing,” Sheldon said. “Matt was arrested, but you own the business. The story will be that you were working with Matt, dealing drugs through the mob.”
“You’re going to make it look like a mob hit?”
“Brilliant, wouldn’t you agree?” Sheldon said. “The media will latch on to the idea that you were going to roll over for the feds. The mob couldn’t allow that.”
Lori was stunned. Sheldon had thought of everything.
*****
Gunner was frustrated. There had to be a clue. A murderer didn’t kill without a trace. There had to be something that gave him away.
While Lori was at the clinic, Gunner called Rip to see if there was anything new from law enforcement. The police weren’t doing any better than Gunner. So far, the LAPD had no suspects.
After the call, Gunner dug his hands through his hair and groaned. Then an email arrived. Besides being hired for Lori’s defense, her attorney was working with Gunner on any legal angles. The attorney had sent information that he thought would be of interest.
Lori inherited the clinic from her father, but her brother had no ownership. Nick’s history of addiction made him untrustworthy. And in the event that anything happened to Lori, the clinic would go to the nearest living relative. Sheldon Marino was Lori’s uncle, and her only living relative besides her brother.
Gunner swore. He should have known. Sheldon stood to gain much from the death of Robert Waters, and now from the death of Lori. He would take sole possession of the clinic. That meant access to drugs, and a continual flow of money.
Matt had been a middleman. Sheldon was the mastermind.
It had been there all along. Marino was a Sicilian family name, and the mob did business with family. They didn’t trust anyone else. The deal was between Sheldon and Lorenzo, who was probably a dammed cousin.
Gunner grabbed his keys and sprinted for his car. Lori was alone with Sheldon. Brentwood was too far away. But he would get there in time—he had to.
Traffic was a bitch, but Gunner took detours. He knew the routes and got to the neighborhood in record time. He prayed that he wasn’t too late. When he arrived, he parked away from the property, planning for a quick getaway.
Gunner would grab Lori and get her out of harm’s way. He didn’t dare text or call, because he didn’t want to tip off Sheldon. For the moment, surprise was on his side.
He carefully approached the side of the mansion, scanning the property. There were no bodyguards and the electronic security was off. The asshole was arrogant. Creeping along the stone terrace, Gunner listened.
The home was massive, so it was difficult to tell where Lori was. If Sheldon was still behaving, they would be in the dining room eating lunch. That would be the best-case scenario. Then Gunner could feign ignorance and sweep Lori away before her uncle was the wiser.
There was no outside noise, so Gunner crouched below the windows and worked his way to the back door. A quick peek assured him that he wouldn’t be spotted, so he swiftly broke in. The lock was easy, and Gunner was inside in the blink of an eye.
Voices came from down the hall, so Gunner went that direction.
“Your goons in the muscle car are just waiting for me to leave?” Lori said.
“That would have worked,” Sheldon said. “The idea was that after our lunch, you’d drive toward the clinic. But you wouldn’t have made it.”
“And now?”
“It’s more difficult,” Sheldon said. “But same result. You won’t make it back to the clinic.”
Gunner stood in the doorway. “Then it’s good that I dropped by to give her a ride.”
Sheldon stiffened. “I think not. Since you overheard our conversation, I can’t allow you to leave.”
Gunner pulled Lori up from the chair and stood in front of her. “That’s not your decision.”
Sheldon took a pistol from his jacket pocket and pointed it at Gunner. “I think I can change your mind. I would rather not kill you. Instead, I have an offer for you.”
“I bet you do.”
“It doe
sn’t have to be this way,” Sheldon said. “Lori will die as painlessly as possible. I promise you that. But you could walk away a wealthy man.”
“I’ll walk away with Lori.”
“You haven’t heard my offer yet,” Sheldon said. “I’m talking about more money than you’ll see in a lifetime.”
“I don’t want your filthy money.”
“Oh, come on,” Sheldon said, as though talking to a buddy. “Every man has a price. I’ll make it worth your while. Just name an amount.”
“Go to hell.”
“One hundred million dollars,” Sheldon said, with his chin high and his eyes gleaming. “You’ll never work again. You can have any woman you want.”
Lori gasped and pressed herself against Gunner’s back.
“Just step aside,” Sheldon said. “That’s all you have to do.”
“I can’t say that I’ve enjoyed your hospitality,” Gunner said. “But we’ll be leaving now.”
Sheldon roared then grabbed the edge of the glass tabletop and dumped it onto the floor. Lori jumped to the side and sprinted toward the hallway. Gunner glanced at Sheldon, who aimed for Lori.
Gunner leapt into the air, using his body to shield Lori. The bullet went into Gunner’s back and he dropped to the floor, searing pain burning through him.
Lori screamed and raced over to Gunner, just as Wyatt and Hunter burst into the room. It was about time. Gunner had called for backup as he’d raced toward Brentwood.
“Put the gun down,” Hunter said.
A deafening gunshot exploded in the room. Gunner watched Sheldon slump to the floor with his gun in his hand. He had shot himself in the temple and blood was everywhere. Lori was sobbing and Gunner’s vision was beginning to fade. Wyatt was beside him. “We’re here, buddy.”
*****
Lori had sprinted away from Gunner so Sheldon would point the gun at her. But she had no way of predicting that Gunner would ruin her effort to protect him by becoming a human shield. He had dropped to the floor, blood pouring out, and Lori had rushed to his side.
Lori had panicked, but Hunter had taken over to control the bleeding until the ambulance arrived. She later learned that a gunshot victim frequently died from blood loss, rather than the injury. She would have been horrified to know that a person could bleed to death in five minutes.
While Hunter intervened to save his buddy, Lori talked. “Stay with me. I love you.” She hadn’t known if it would do any good, but she had to try. Her pleading had gone unanswered, but she kept it up. The paramedics had arrived and Lori rode in the ambulance with Gunner.
Lori had no attention for anything else, but she remembered someone saying that Sheldon was dead. The police had arrived to take charge of the scene. Hunter and Wyatt had stayed behind to relay what they knew.
After many agonizing hours at the hospital, the surgeon had come out to talk to Lori. She had let out a long breath when she heard that Gunner would be okay. The bullet had gone into the right side of his back, missing his liver and intestines.
It seemed that Gunner had withstood the trauma quite well. The bullet had lodged into muscle, and the surgeon had successfully removed it. Since the shot had been from a light, compact gun, the bullet was small caliber, so there had been less damage than there might have been.
All Lori had cared about was that Gunner was going to live.
The first few months had been rough, but Lori was pleased with his recovery. Keeping Gunner out of action wasn’t easy, but his boss ordered him to regain his strength before even thinking about coming back to work.
Lori’s life had changed dramatically. The police had searched Sheldon’s home and office. They discovered that he had been engaged in illegal activities for decades. In addition to bucketloads of money, they found evidence of money laundering and had located several offshore accounts. All Sheldon’s assets were confiscated.
The LAPD closed the murder case, since their prime suspect had committed suicide. It would take Lori a while to recover from the devastating turn of events. She had to remind herself that she wasn’t in danger anymore.
Matt was indicted for his crimes, and Lori agreed to testify against him. Her brother had been scared into quitting drugs. The FBI’s involvement had made an impression, and Nick had voluntarily entered rehab. Lori had found a center with a good record, and she had every hope of her brother’s recovery.
Katherine no longer worked at the clinic. She was charged as an accomplice for aiding Sheldon. Since she didn’t have a prior record, the penalty wasn’t as severe. She had cried and pleaded, saying how sorry she was. Lori didn’t hold a grudge, but Katherine wouldn’t be rehired.
Lori had been to lunch with Jess several times and had long talks about everything. She had told Jess how good it was to have a friend she could count on. Then Allen had stepped up to find a replacement at the clinic. With Adam and Sarah’s approval, Lori had hired one of the prospects he’d recommended to take over as practice manager.
It had been a heartwarming scene when Gunner reunited with his son. It turned out that Daniel had been afraid of rejection. Despite his mother’s pressure to view his father as a deadbeat, he had never really believed it. He admired Gunner for his service as a Navy SEAL and was impressed with how he’d rescued Lori.
The best part was that Gunner was fully recovered, and Lori could look forward to a future with him. One morning, he arranged for a sunrise horseback ride, since Lori had enjoyed the previous ride so much. It was a gorgeous morning with the sky glowing with dawn’s light.
The horizon was pale gold and yellow, with a few clouds stretched across it like taffy. At the top of a crest, looking down on the city, Gunner got off his horse and stood next to Lori. She looked down at him and smiled.
Gunner took her hand, then got down on one knee and opened a tiny box holding a sparkling diamond ring. “I love you with all my heart…and I want you to be my wife. Will you marry me?”
Lori’s eyes blurred with tears, then she giggled. Even with him kneeling, Gunner’s head reached to her knee. But seeing him so far below struck her as funny. “Get me down from here. Then I’ll answer your question.”
Gunner laughed and put his hands on her waist to lift her down, then he kissed her.
“I do love your kisses,” Lori said. “But I haven’t said yes.”
“Can’t blame me for trying to persuade you.”
Lori stood on her toes and wrapped her arms around Gunner’s neck. “Yes, I’ll marry you. I can’t think of anything that would make me happier.” Then he lifted her off her feet and swung her around, until Lori screeched with delight.
Thank you for reading SAVAGE PERIL.
If you loved Savage Peril, you will enjoy HAWKE!
SAVING A LIFE CAN BE DEADLY!
Emilia Draper commits to saving a dying girl, but an enemy vows to stop her.
Download: Hawke (Must Love Danger Book 1)
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Must Love Danger: Book 1
By
Emily Jane Trent
Chapter 1
Emilia Draper wasn’t looking for a husband. Loneliness threatened to surface, as it often did, but she pushed the feeling aside. She had more important things to focus on.
In her youth, she hadn’t been beautiful, and reaching the age of thirty-five hadn’t improved things. Her appearance and lack of a husband were thoughts that drifted through her mind, while she concentrated on filling the test tube.
After graduating from the biotechnology program at the University of Pennsylvania, she’d dedicated her career to saving lives—which should be enough for one woman. Buried in her work as a biotechnician, she rarely considered what she might be missing. Long hours and stress didn’t make for a lifestyle that encompassed husband hunting.
She adjusted the protective goggles, then lifted the eyedropper. Carefully, she squeezed drops into the tube. It hadn’t ceased to amaze her that Edmondson Lab, the la
boratory she managed in Philadelphia, had the capacity to change lives.
Refusing to consider that she was personally responsible, she was honored to be part of a top-notch team. One person couldn’t achieve results alone. It took combined effort and expertise. Which was the precise reason she’d had to report Ray.
Raymond Simms had appeared qualified for the position. An additional technician had been desperately needed, so he’d been hired. The man had been a bit withdrawn, but friendliness wasn’t a job requirement. As long as he’d been dependable and completed the tasks assigned, he would have had a career at the lab.
That was the problem. Ray started out okay, but his activities seemed misaligned with his duties. Emilia had become suspicious, which prompted her discreet investigation. Although he’d attempted to disguise his sabotage, it hadn’t been too difficult to uncover.
The current project was too vital to allow anything to go wrong. Emilia had been given no choice but to report what she’d found. Ray had been tampering with results. In various ways, he’d ruined tests and effectively put the experiments at risk.
If Emilia hadn’t discovered his betrayal, there was no telling how far he would have taken it. It wasn’t her place to confront him with his misdeeds. She didn’t care why he’d acted so out of line. His motivation was irrelevant, since the consequences were so dire.
For a reasonable period, she’d kept records and accumulated evidence. There would be no mistaking Ray’s actions. It had pained her to wait, as every botched experiment reflected poorly on the lab. But she had to make sure that Ray would be booted without recourse.
The medicine was what mattered, delivering it to the patient who was hanging by a thread. When Emilia considered what Ray had done, how he’d risked a life for some personal reason, anger consumed her.
Emilia had no regrets about reporting the employee to her boss. Even as she wielded the tools of her trade to get the project back on track, Raymond Simms was still in the building. But he wouldn’t be for long.
After a meeting with the boss, Emilia had caught a glimpse of Ray heading toward the HR department. He’d receive his pay and be out the door. It couldn’t happen quick enough to suit her. She wouldn’t breathe a sigh of relief until he was gone.
Savage Peril: Military Romantic Suspense (Stealth Security Book 6) Page 17
