Crazed Reckoning, a Nick Spinelli Mystery

by Valerie J. Clarizio

  “What?”

  “Nothing, I just want to get there. I just want to know she’s okay.” Spinelli closed his eyes and inhaled a deep breath.

  “I know you do.”

  Spinelli fixed his gaze on Walker. “I’m going to marry her.”

  Walker risked a glance away from the road. “I know you are. Jeana and I have known all along. Christ, even Marsh figured it out. Mad Dog calls me at least once a week to make sure he doesn’t miss the wedding. Captain Jackson prays for the miracle that you figure it out before she retires so she knows you’ll be taken care of when she’s gone.” Walker chuckled. “We’re all just waiting for you to shit or get off the pot.”

  “Walker?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Put the pedal down, would you?”

  Breaking the rules, Walker pressed down on the accelerator and turned the twenty-two-minute trip into fifteen.

  With a quick flash of his badge, Spinelli secured the room number associated with Maeve’s credit card from the nice lady behind the counter.

  They drove over the winding road to the third condo building. Spinelli leaped out of the car before Walker cut the engine. He sprinted down the hall with Walker on his heels, halting on a dime in front of room 225.

  Spinelli pulled the keycard from his pocket. The engagement ring he carried with him came out as well. He lost himself in the sparkle of it for a moment. It would be on her finger, momentarily.

  “That’s very nice there buddy, but we should get in there so you can give it to her.”

  Walker knocked on the door.

  Spinelli’s heart thudded in his chest. He was ready. Excitement ripped through him with the crack of a whip.

  Silence.

  Walker rapped his knuckle on the door again. Nothing.

  Shear panic stung at Spinelli’s core. He stuffed the ring back into his pocket and drew his weapon as Walker slid the keycard into the slot. They bounded through the doorway to find Shannon and Anna seated at the kitchen table. A woman wearing a green wig and mask dropped her weapon at Spinelli’s command and threw her hands into the air. The second woman held her hand into the air, palm facing Spinelli as if to indicate he should shut up and wait a moment. Her other hand clutched the cellphone pressed to her ear.

  Walker cuffed the first woman as Spinelli moved toward the female with the cell.

  The woman dropped the phone and collapsed into the chair behind her, her body limp.

  “Mom!” the cuffed woman yelled in concern.

  Walker kept his grip on her.

  “Hands in the air,” Spinelli barked.

  The woman in the chair slowly raised her hands as if the weight of them was too much to bear.

  He edged toward her. “Are you okay?” No response. “Maeve?”

  The woman sucked in a labored breath. “Yes, I’m fine, it’s done. Emmet’s dead.”

  Out of the corner of his eye, Spinelli caught a glimpse of Walker bending over to pick up the other woman’s weapon.

  “It’s fake.”

  “What?”

  “The gun is a fake,” Walker repeated as he holstered his weapon.

  These ladies weren’t going to hurt anyone. They only intended to strip Riordan of his inheritance. Bernie was right; they took Shannon and Anna so Riordan couldn’t have them.

  Shannon cried Spinelli’s name. He hurried toward her, freed her wrist from the cuff. She leaped up into his arms, putting a death-grip around his neck. He couldn’t blame her and he didn’t mind. She’d been through a lot in the past twenty-plus hours. Her body shook and her tears saturated the collar of his jacket.

  Loosening her grip, she inched back and looked up at him. He lost himself in the depth of the sea of green holding his gaze.

  “I was so afraid I would never see you again,” she squeaked out between her gasps.

  He had no words for her; he’d felt the same so many times throughout the past twenty-four-hour period. The lump in his throat wouldn’t budge. He could tell by the relieved, yet desperate look in her eyes she needed to hear something from him right now but he just couldn’t seem to speak.

  Cupping her head in his hands, he swiped his thumbs over her wet cheeks. Her pleading eyes tugged at his heart. “I’m so sorry I didn’t find you sooner. I’m so sorry I didn’t protect you, I ...” his voice trailed off, abandoning him again.

  Shannon reached up and pressed the tip of her index finger to his lips. “Without you, who knows where I’d be right now.”

  His vision blurred as her loving gaze reassured him of everything he needed to know. Her soft fingertip traced his lips. With her face still cupped in his hands, he tilted her head back, brushed his lips across her sweet, smooth, velvety lips, and captured her exhausted sigh. Every bone in his body heated to near boiling at her simple touch. Her warm, welcoming mouth pulled him further into her being, any further and they’d become one. It was time. He would reach into his pocket, pull out the ring he’d bought over a month ago, take a knee and propose to her right now. His steady hand drifted to his side.

  “I hate to interrupt, but by any chance could I get un-handcuffed from this table?” Anna asked.

  Spinelli spun around to meet her pleading brown eyes. He’d nearly forgotten anyone else was in the room. “Yes, crap, I’m sorry Anna.”

  Walker was busy with Maeve and her daughter.

  Spinelli pulled the cuff from Anna’s wrist. She rubbed it as he helped her to her feet. Spinelli shifted toward Shannon again but halted when Anna cleared her throat. “Hey, where’s mine?”

  Spinelli cocked his head to the side and arched a brow. Knowing exactly what she meant, he asked the question anyhow. “Where’s your what?” He could tease too. Months ago, if not for Anna’s little shove, he and Shannon may have never hooked up.

  Anna’s wicked smile grew as she pointed at Shannon. “She got all this smoldering, eyeing-up, and lip-smacking stuff. All I get is ‘sorry, let me help you up’?”

  “Please forgive my rudeness, Anna,” Spinelli responded as he stepped toward her, gave her a peck on the cheek, and pulled her into a quick but firm hug.

  Anna took a step back but kept her curious gaze on him.

  Spinelli pulled a frown. “What?”

  “Nice hat. And I’m just curious, what did you have to do for those beads.”

  Spinelli had forgotten he wore the ridiculous green crochet leprechaun hat with the black band, gold buckle, and flaps over his ears. He’d forgotten about the green beads as well.

  Anna giggled. “Now what?”

  “Well, it just occurred to me that in the recent past, I’ve seen pictures of you dressed as Santa Claus and Cupid. With just a few more slight adjustments to your current wardrobe, you’d be dressed as a full-fledged leprechaun today. A rather tall one, but a leprechaun nonetheless.” Anna paused and shot a glance at Shannon before returning her gaze to Spinelli. “With actions like that, I’d say you’re a man in love. I’m already curious to see how you’ll look next month dressed in a big, fluffy bunny costume with floppy ears.”

  Though they all shared a laugh at Anna’s comment, a blanket of fear wrapped around Spinelli. He wasn’t sure he had the strength to endure another holiday crisis with Shannon. Racing to save and protect her had taken its toll on him, but he couldn’t live without her. Perhaps he could petition to cancel Easter. Anxiety coiled in his stomach. What if Shannon decided she didn’t have the strength to endure another holiday crisis with him? They’d set quite the track record already: two murders, an attempted murder and two counts of kidnapping at Christmas time; four murders and a suicide on Valentine’s Day; and technically speaking, four counts of kidnapping, two counts each for both Shannon and Anna, during the Saint Patrick’s Day weekend celebration. On a good note, each crisis seemed to lighten up a bit with the current holiday. Maybe by Easter, they’d only have to deal with a stolen Easter basket. He could only hope.

  Chapter Ten

  Spinelli and Walker drove back to the Harbor Resort in S
turgeon Bay with Maeve and Brianna in the back seat. Shannon and Anna followed in Maeve’s rental. It killed Spinelli not to be with Shannon but for security purposes, he thought it best to keep a close watch on Maeve and her daughter. They couldn’t all fit in either car. He must have checked his rearview mirror at least a thousand times to make sure Shannon and Anna were behind them.

  Though she was about to face the consequence associated with kidnapping, Maeve’s eyes still radiated with pleasure. She’d soon be able to serve up her dish of revenge on Riordan.

  Walker worked his way through Sturgeon Bay’s downtown streets. It was a bit easier now that the parade was finished, but an entire city of people dressed in green still saturated the sidewalks in front of the downtown bars, restaurants, and shops. Evidently, the Saint Patrick’s Day event was an all-day occurrence in this community.

  Walker parked near the lobby doors of the hotel. Shannon pulled up alongside them.

  The roar of laughter met them as soon as they stepped through the entrance of the hotel. Glancing in the direction of the bar, Spinelli could see only one green mass of people.

  One set of fingers wove firmly among Shannon’s soft, warm fingers, and his other hand wrapped around Maeve’s arm, just above her elbow. They all continued toward Riordan’s suite. The bounce in Maeve’s step actually pulled Spinelli along. She’d waited a long time to serve Riordan his due justice, and Spinelli wanted to let her before he turned her over to the local authorities.

  The basketball game on the television was the only noise Spinelli heard when they entered the suite. Marsh and Bernie sat at the kitchen table, Davin and Collin each sat in one of the leather chairs in the living room area and Riordan was still bound and gagged in his chair. All eyes shifted from the game to Spinelli and his group.

  Bernie sprang off his chair and pulled Shannon into a big bear hug. “I’m so glad to see you. Are you okay?” he asked as he stepped back and scanned her from top to bottom.

  “I’m fine. They didn’t really do anything to us.”

  Bernie hugged her again before stepping aside to let everyone else pass through the small kitchen area. It took only a moment for Maeve and Riordan to lock gazes. The completely satisfied grin on Maeve’s face caused the veins on Riordan’s neck and forehead to bulge. His fire engine red cheeks likely raised the temperature in the room a few degrees. Maeve didn’t need to speak, for Riordan to know why she looked so pleased. He yelled something but the gag he wore muffled the unidentifiable words.

  Maeve edged closer to Riordan as she pulled out the phone she’d swiped from him earlier in the day. Her smile was unstoppable. “Riordan, how nice it is to see you today. It’s been a while.” She paused and leaned forward, aligning her eyes with his furious gaze. Riordan’s dagger-shooting look might have killed a lesser woman.

  “I have your phone here. It appears you missed a very important call today,” Maeve said gleefully as she danced his phone in front of his eyes. Maeve’s voice, the one that radiated exhaustion less than an hour ago, now exuded strength and confidence.

  Riordan squirmed in his chair and tugged to free his arms from their bindings. The psychotic look in his eyes sent a shiver up Spinelli’s spine.

  Maeve edged a bit closer to Riordan. “Hmm, it seems you missed the call from your dear old dad’s lawyer.” She paused for emphasis. “I’m so sorry to be the one to tell you, but Emmet passed a little less than an hour ago.”

  Riordan growled and bounced in his chair. The blood vessels in his right eye popped, filling the white of his eye with red. Now both eyes matched his cheeks.

  An evil laugh flowed from Maeve. “I can’t begin to image what Emmet’s money will buy for the university.”

  Riordan gasped as if he’d just been freed from nearly drowning. His body convulsed briefly before his eyes rolled back into his head, and then his head fell forward. His body stilled.

  Marsh dialed 911 as Spinelli felt for a pulse; faint, but it was there.

  Davin and Collin, along with everyone else, watched as the EMTs rolled Riordan out on a stretcher.

  “I’m so glad he didn’t die,” Maeve whispered to Brianna.

  Spinelli knew Maeve only wanted Riordan to live so she could watch him live out his days penniless. Nobody reacted to her comment.

  Maeve turned to the twins. Her loving gaze absorbed theirs. “First of all, I want you to know that I am truly sorry if any of this caused you pain or sorrow. You are my nephews, my dear sister’s children, and I love you both. I’m sure you are probably a little concerned about your finances since your grandfather has left all his money and possessions to the university. I want you to know right now, you’ll be taken care of and do not need to worry.”

  Spinelli watched as Davin just stared at his aunt. He looked confused, perhaps even shocked. Why wouldn’t he though? He’d been handed a lot to deal with. His grandfather died, his dad nearly died, and he was now penniless. Collin seemed less puzzled by the events that just took place. In fact, Spinelli thought he’d seen a tinge of relief pass through his squinty little eyes. Odd, since Collin was in a heap of trouble. But maybe the inadvertent release from his father and grandfather’s psychotic hold was worth the punishment he’d likely soon undergo.

  Collin raised a brow. “Why don’t we have to worry?”

  Maeve smiled warmly and placed her hand on Davin’s cheek, then Collin’s. “Your mother loved you so much. Even with the risk that Riordan and Emmet would find out, she squirreled some cash away while married to your father—in the event, you would need it someday.”

  “What?” Collin asked.

  “She tucked away some cash for you,” Maeve repeated “How, where?” he mumbled.

  “It’s my understanding that when your father gave her money to go to town, she’d shop frugally and tuck some of the cash aside.”

  Collin’s face scrunched, “Well, she couldn’t have tucked that much away.”

  Maeve nodded. “You’re right, it was a just couple of thousand here or there until the day before her death. That day, she somehow found a way to withdraw two million dollars from one of Emmet’s accounts, or his safe. I don’t really know which, and I don’t have a clue as to how she accomplished the task. I knew from the look in her eyes when she handed me the cash, I didn’t dare ask.” Tears filled Maeve’s eyes as she took a moment. Everyone waited out her pause. “Less than twenty-four hours after taking the cash, your mother died.” Maeve placed her hand over her heart. “I’m sorry, but there’s no way your mother killed herself that day. She wouldn’t have. She loved you both too much to leave you alone with Riordan and Emmet.”

  Maeve waited for the twins to say something. After a few beats of silence, she filled the gap. “My late husband, your uncle whom I’m sure you don’t even remember, invested your money nearly three decades ago. Let me just say, he was a wiz with cash. You and your heirs will have no financial worries in the future. However, since the money is in my possession, it will be doled out to you in healthy increments. In the event any portion, no matter how minuscule, is given to or used to support Riordan, you’ll be cut off. He killed your mother. I know it in my heart,” Maeve finished with conviction.

  Spinelli figured when Riordan heard the news of his son’s non-shareable wealth, he’d surely blow a gasket, probably have a heart attack, and die right there on the spot.

  Chapter Eleven

  Spinelli sunk into the deep leather chair in his hotel room, pulling Shannon onto his lap along the way. No suite for them, just a simple room. All he ever needed from this day forward was her. She leaned her head against his shoulder; her slow even breaths warmed his neck. She molded to him, fitting perfectly.

  It didn’t surprise him that it took only seconds for her to fall asleep.

  She’d had quite the couple of days.

  He inhaled deeply and took in the tantalizing scent of her fiery-red hair. The fragrance reminded him of a bright spring morning. He pressed his lips lightly to her forehead. She didn’t even sti
r. Her milky-white skin looked heavenly to him. Not wanting to wake her, he fought the urge to reach up and run his fingers over her soft, smooth cheek.

  Though she looked tiny and frail in his arms, he knew differently. She had a strong will and was completely capable of getting through any situation thrown at her.

  Spinelli glanced at the clock and understood his weariness as well. It was nearly midnight. Within minutes, it would be Shannon’s birthday.

  The hours spent with the Sturgeon Bay Police and Door County Sheriff’s Departments had been painfully draining. He’d just wanted to get Shannon out of there and into his arms so she could rest.

  Anna now rested in the adjoining room with Marsh on the opposite side and Walker across the hall. Anna seemed to take the unfortunate situation like a real trooper. He had known from the first day they met, she was one tough old cookie.

  Spinelli gazed at Shannon’s angelic face and wondered how he’d become the luckiest man in the world. He considered pinching himself to make sure he wasn’t lost in a dream.

  He reached up, pulled Shannon’s note from his shirt pocket, and carefully, and quietly, unfolded it before he set it on the wide arm of the chair. His heart picked up pace as he read the letter in its entirety. Though Shannon now rested securely in his arms, he couldn’t seem to tamp down the renewed anger rising in him as he read the words of her abduction and separation from Anna. Within moments, pride swept his entire being and pushed the anger aside. He re-read the section of Shannon’s near escape and her will to try again. His stomach fluttered, his heart swelled, and his core warmed as the last paragraph of her letter replayed in his mind over and over.

  Nick, in the event I don’t see you again, please know that I love you now and always. You are the one I wanted to grow old with. I will carry you forever in my heart, soul, and spirit. Nick Spinelli, you are the strongest, most loving person I know. I will forever pray for your happiness and health.