Golden Girl

by Velvet Vaughn

  “It’s Sarah Buck, now. What are you doing here? Trying to steal the spotlight from the deserving high schoolers? Need your overinflated ego stroked?” she sneered.

  Peyton bit back a nasty retort. Sarah had always tried to push her buttons. She’d always been jealous of Peyton’s success. When she was younger, she took the bait. But she was older and wiser now. Peyton narrowed her eyes. Could Sarah be responsible for what happened to Kurt and Lotus and the others?

  “I’m coaching one of the competitors.”

  “You? Coaching?” She barked out a laugh. “That’s a riot.”

  Peyton crossed her arms. “Yeah? Why is that?”

  “Because you’re too selfish to want someone else to succeed.”

  “You have no right to say something slanderous like that. You don’t even know me.”

  “I know that you’re a bitch.”

  She was so tired of this woman and her hostility. “I’ve never done anything to you except swim faster. That’s on you, not me. And if you can’t get over it, that’s your problem, too.” She turned to leave when Sarah’s next words stopped her in her tracks.

  “Too bad about Kurt.” She tsked. “You must be so upset.”

  Her emotions, already unsteady, snapped. She spun around, her hand clenched into a fist, ready to swing at the evil woman when a young girl came jogging up to them.

  “Mom, where are my goggles?”

  Peyton dropped her arm. She’d never resorted to violence but then, she’d never met anyone as despicable as Sarah Sanderson.

  “I don’t know where your goggles are, Catherine. They’re your responsibility. Check your bag.”

  The girl started to leave but did a double take when she spotted Peyton. Her hands flew to her mouth. “Oh my gosh, you’re Peyton Durant!” She jumped up and down and squealed. “You’re my idol! I heard a rumor that you’d be here.” Then she slammed her fists to her hips and pinned Sarah with a glare. “You know Peyton Durant and you never told me? You know how much I adore her.”

  Sarah looked like she’d sucked a lemon. Peyton took great satisfaction in knowing the other woman was uncomfortable.

  “I don’t know her,” Sarah sniffed.

  Peyton wasn’t letting her get away with it. “That’s true, we don’t actually know each other,” she agreed easily. Peyton would never be friends with someone so vindictive and cruel. “But we’ve swam against each other several times over the years.”

  The girl’s eyes widened. “Really? That’s so cool!”

  “No, it’s not,” Sarah muttered, petty till the end.

  “Did you ever beat her, Mom?”

  She fluttered a hand in a dismissive gesture. “Sure. All the time,” she lied and then smirked at Peyton, daring her to contradict the fib.

  Peyton shouldn’t be shocked that the meanspirited woman would deceive her stepdaughter. Sarah was pathological, malicious, and downright hateful. If she was so insecure, she needed to feed the girl lies, that was her problem. Peyton refused to lower herself to her level.

  “Wow, my stepmother actually beat Peyton Durant!”

  Sarah’s mouth curved with triumph. Peyton shook her head sadly at the woman. Sarah’s smile dimmed.

  “Mom, take a picture of me with Peyton.”

  The sour look was back. “I don’t have my cell with me.”

  “It’s right there.” Catherine pointed to the phone sticking out of her pocket.

  “Battery’s dead.”

  Peyton had heard enough. If she spent another minute in this woman’s presence, she would resort to violence. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to go. It was nice to meet you, Catherine. Good luck tonight.”

  “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me you knew her,” Catherine chastised as Peyton walked away. She’d always known Sarah didn’t like her, but she didn’t realize the hatred was so intense, even after all these years. If Sarah still held a grudge, then she could very well be the person responsible for the murders. She spun around but Sarah and her stepdaughter were gone.

  #

  Noah scanned the arena, looking for any potential threats. His neck itched. There were too many people milling about. Detective Caldwell had arranged for all six COBRA Security agents to be able to come and go as needed, and to carry their weapons. That was important. No way was he letting Peyton attend if he couldn’t protect her with firepower if necessary. She’d worn the Kevlar vest under the official school polo shirt that Aurora’s high school coach provided, so that made him feel marginally better.

  Once inside the building, there were three ways to enter the main competition arena. Carter, Alex and Dorian were each covering one entry. Maggie was posted at the top of the largest set of bleachers so she could oversee the entire area. He and Ethan roamed between the main pool and the warm-up one. They’d been politely ordered to stay off the deck as much as possible to avoid interfering with the competition. He’d agreed, but if there was a threat, all bets were off.

  All agents were linked with comms and they’d provided one to Caldwell, too. Noah figured it was a two-way street because if the cops caught someone, he wanted to know as soon as possible.

  He’d recognized the woman speaking with Peyton as Sarah Sanderson, now Buck, one of his top suspects. He’d moved closer, prepared to take the woman out if she made a move. He’d heard most of the conversation and it took everything in him to refrain from tossing the nasty woman into the water. She’d flat-out lied to her stepdaughter, telling her she’d beaten Peyton several times when the exact opposite was true. Peyton had won every single time. But her untruths were a result of her insecurity and mean spirit. What had steam coming from Noah’s ears was when she had the gall to goad Peyton about Kurt’s death. It was a low blow. Sarah Sanderson Buck had absolutely no class. Noah planned to accidently on purpose run into her and issue a warning. If she ever said or did anything to upset Peyton again, she’d have to answer to him, and he could guarantee she wouldn’t like the question.

  #

  A woman carrying a clipboard marched up to Peyton, the nametag announcing that she was Phyllis Stone, race official. Her hands shook so hard the clipboard trembled in her grip. Peyton wondered if she had a disorder that caused the tremors.

  “Ms. Durant, there’s a problem with Aurora Benton’s paperwork. I need you to correct it before the races begin.”

  “I’m sorry, you’ll need to talk to Mrs. Harris. She’s the head coach. The school handled all of the paperwork for the athletes.”

  Phyllis glanced behind her and pointed in the direction of the warm-up pool where Aurora and her teammates were swimming laps. “I just spoke with her and she asked me to find you. She said you would be able to take care of the issue.”

  Kat Harris probably was busy with a dozen athletes to watch over. Peyton had agreed to help when needed. She caught Noah’s eye—his gaze never seemed to leave her for long—as she followed the woman. She mimicked signing a form and pointed to the office down a small hallway. He nodded in understanding. Phyllis opened the door and held it for Peyton to enter. It drifted closed in her wake. The woman continued through the cluttered office to another door. “Follow me.”

  This door opened to a short hallway with another door at the end. “Mrs. Stone? Are you sure this is the right way?”

  Phyllis either didn’t hear the question or she ignored it as she led Peyton down two flights of steps into an eerily abandoned corridor.

  Alarm bells sounded and Peyton was just about to turn around when Phyllis stopped in front of a closed door. “We keep all of the forms in here.” She opened it and motioned for Peyton to enter.

  “I’m so sorry.”

  Peyton spun around as the door slammed shut in her face. She grabbed the handle and twisted, but it was locked. Her hand was poised to knock when a familiar voice stopped her in her tracks.

  “I-it’s about time you got here.”

  She slowly turned around and came face to face with her nemesis, Sarah Sanderson. And she was holding
a medal.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Peyton stared at shock at the woman responsible for murdering Kurt and Lotus and all the others. Even knowing how evil she was, Peyton never would have believed Sarah capable of such atrocities.

  “Here, take it.”

  Peyton barely caught the medal before it smacked her in the face. She turned it over to see the word: die. Just as Noah thought.

  She looked up from the medal to the woman who’d been her rival for years. “Why, Sarah?”

  Sarah’s eyes were wide with, if she wasn’t mistaken, fear. That’s when Peyton noticed she was shaking like a sapling in a hurricane. Sarah grunted before suddenly lurching forward and falling to her knees, crying out when she hit the floor, leaving Peyton facing a man with a gun.

  “Shut up, bitch, and get over there by your daughter.” The last word was sneered.

  Peyton twisted to see Catherine huddled against a wall, tears running down her face. Sarah crawled over and gathered her in her arms.

  “Well isn’t that sweet.” He gestured with the gun. “Get over there with them.”

  Peyton did as he commanded, moving to the wall without turning her back on him. She slid down on the other side of Catherine. She wouldn’t let the girl be hurt if she could help it. “Why?”

  “Why what?”

  “Why are you doing this?”

  “I’m in charge here, not you, the almighty Peyton Durant. The golden girl,” he spat.

  “It’s me you want, so why don’t you let them go. This is just between us.”

  “Now see, that’s where you’re wrong, sweetheart. You’re just a pawn, if you will. My real beef is with her.” He pointed the gun at Sarah.

  “Me? Why?” Sarah wailed.

  “God, you don’t even recognize me, do you?”

  Peyton did. She’d come face to face with him in her guest house and she’d kicked him out of Aurora’s pool. He was also responsible for Aurora drinking to excess and then saving her life.

  “Why are we here, Clark?”

  Sarah’s head snapped between them. “Clark? You know him?” Her features twisted with malice. “You’re the reason we’re here. It’s all your fault,” she screamed accusingly.

  “You really are a bitch,” Clark tsked. “She just offered herself up to save you.”

  Sarah jutted her chin out mutinously.

  “You are going to die here today,” Clark informed her matter-of-factly. “It’s going to be slow and painful and I’m going to take extreme satisfaction in watching you suffer.”

  Pieces started to click into place and realization dawned. All this time, she thought she was the target, but all the people who’d been murdered were tied to Sarah, too. Noah had a problem figuring out Peyton’s link to Shelly Plimpton, but she wasn’t killed because of Peyton. She was killed because she disqualified Sarah. Still, it didn’t explain why he targeted her with the notes and medals.

  Clark moved closer and kicked Sarah’s foot. She recoiled in fear.

  “I’m going to give you one more chance to recognize me,” he informed her.

  “C-Clark.” Her voice was thick with tears.

  “You just said that because Peyton did. Look. At. Me.” He kicked her harder this time and she gasped in pain.

  Blinking through tears, she shook her head. “I’m sorry, I don’t know you.”

  “Look at me!” he screamed.

  Sarah blinked at him and then her eyes widened almost comically. Her hands flew to her mouth and she shook her head in denial. “No, it can’t be.” She blinked again and whispered, “Aaron?”

  “Very good. It’s about damn time you recognized your own son.”

  #

  Peyton followed the exchange between the two, her mind reeling from shock. Clark—no, not Clark—Aaron was Sarah’s son?

  Aaron glanced at her, apparently reading her thoughts. “Yeah, she’s my mother…well, my biological mother. But she threw me away and do you know why?”

  Because you’re a psychotic murderous lunatic?

  “Because of you!” he shouted. “You’re the reason she abandoned me.”

  “I didn’t abandon you,” Sarah protested. “I gave you to a nice family.”

  “Nice? Nice?” His voice rose an octave on the last word. He turned to Peyton again. “You were what, fourteen when you beat her the first time?” He thumped his chest. “I was three years old. Slut never knew who my father was. Oh, she tried to raise me, but when you kept beating her, she threw me out like the garbage so she could train harder.” He snorted. “Not that it did any good.” He started to pace. “The family she gave me to decided they didn’t want me when I was four. I was shipped from one foster home to another. They beat me with everything from a belt to a broomstick. I was raped repeatedly.” He lifted his shirt to reveal a chest marked with holes and scars. “Burned me.” At Sarah’s choked cry, he said, “I was tortured. Treated like scum. Starved. Threatened. Some of the rapes were even filmed and broadcast over the internet.”

  Peyton closed her eyes in sympathy and pain. It was a horrible upbringing, but it didn’t give him the right to kill.

  “I finally ran away when I was sixteen. Then I decided to track down my,” he made air quotes, “family. It took a while, but I finally located an aunt who was willing to tell me everything.” He turned to Peyton again. “Seems you aren’t the only one who hates her.” He indicated Sarah with the gun. “Her own sister won’t have anything to do with her. Guess what I discovered? That my mother was not only alive and well but doting on a child that wasn’t even hers!” He jerked the gun to Catherine, and she cowered in fear.

  Peyton needed to keep him talking and take the focus off the girl. She swallowed, hoping she could ask the next question without her voice breaking. “Why did you kill Kurt Nance and Lotus and Laura and Jenny and all the others?”

  Sarah jerked forward to glare around Catherine at Peyton. “Shut up, bitch. He didn’t kill anyone.”

  Aaron smiled. “I’m afraid I did, Mommy Dearest.”

  She gasped and shook her head in disbelief. “No.”

  He nodded with glee. “Yes. I started with your high school coaches because they were inadequate if they couldn’t train you better.” He sounded pleased with himself. He was truly psychotic. “Next was the woman who disqualified you at the first Trials. If she’d just let you go a few seconds earlier, you might’ve had a slim chance to beat her.”

  Peyton didn’t want to correct him, but she’d bested the field by a whopping seven seconds that year. An early start wouldn’t have mattered for Sarah.

  Aaron addressed Catherine. “Did you know your stepmommy never beat Peyton? Not once in her entire career.”

  “But she said she did,” Catherine protested weakly.

  “Yeah, well, she’s a liar.” He turned back to Sarah. “Then I had to take care of the three women who made the team ahead of you. Laura and Jenny were a bit of a challenge since they lived out of state, one in Tennessee and the other in Missouri, but with the short flights, it wasn’t a problem.”

  Peyton couldn’t believe he talked about murder as if it was no big deal. He’d ended lives and for what? Revenge on a mother that gave him up. Unfortunately, she was, like Kurt and Lotus and the others, collateral damage.

  “I couldn’t let that stupid coach live. He was my mom—I mean the bitch’s coach first and he dropped her for you. I’d already planned on killing him but imagine my surprise when he showed up right here. I didn’t have to jump any last-minute flights to Texas to do the deed.”

  Peyton swallowed a sob of sorrow. Kurt.

  “They added up to seven people. That’s when I got the genius idea to kill someone for every gold medal Peyton won. There were eight, so I saved her for last. Well…next to last.” He waved the gun at Sarah and Catherine. “You two will be the final kills.”

  He’d removed the gun from Catherine. He seemed to enjoy taking about himself, so she encouraged him. Plus, she needed to give Noah enough time t
o find her, because she had absolutely no doubt he would. “If it’s Sarah you’re angry with, why did you target me with the medals and notes, Aaron?”

  He held his arms wide, his expression a duh. “I just told you. Because my inadequate, incompetent birth mother couldn’t beat you. She gave me away so that she could try to compete with you.” He pointed the gun at her, and she concentrated on breathing. “If not for you, I wouldn’t have endured years of torture and abuse. If you weren’t so damn unbeatable, I wouldn’t have been beaten into a coma or have a stick shoved so far up my ass, they had to operate to remove it. My chest wouldn’t be covered with burns. You are the cause of all that’s wrong in my life.”

  It was hard to argue with twisted thinking.

  “Yes, yes, that’s right,” Sarah agreed, nodding like a bobble-head doll and pointing. “It was Peyton’s fault. All her fault. I wanted to keep you, I did, but I couldn’t raise you and train at the same time.”

  Peyton’s mouth dropped open. The woman was throwing her under the bus. Frankly, this was a family matter and had nothing to do with her. All she’d ever done was swim her heart out.

  “Shut up!” There was a muted pop and Sarah cried out, grabbing her shoulder. Catherine screamed.

  This was escalating quickly. She needed to do something before he executed Sarah in front of her stepdaughter. But before she could do anything, he shifted the gun with a silencer attached to Peyton and pulled the trigger.

  #

  The arena was rapidly filling up with blocks of colors representing different schools. A band played an assortment of pop songs and swimmers were milling about in their suits. Noah searched the arena, looking for any sign of Peyton but he didn’t see her anywhere. He checked his watch. She’d been gone for over ten minutes. How long did it take to sign a form? He didn’t think he’d missed her coming back out of the office. “Any of you see Peyton?” Six no responses, counting Caldwell. His pulse started to pick up. Something was wrong.

  He spotted the woman Peyton left with and jogged over to her. Her eyes widened and she took a step back. He must look like a madman, so he toned it down with a smile. “I’m trying to find Peyton Durant. She left with you a while ago.