by H. M. Clarke
“What the hell just happened?”
Richard did not answer; instead he kept one eye on the road ahead and the other on the rear-view mirror.
“Isn’t this car supposed to have airbags?” Kaitlyn felt her arms begin to shake and the sick feeling in her stomach was back. Going into shock twice in one day is not good.
“I’ll explain later.” Richard kept the Mercedes running at speed while slipping in and out of the city bound traffic.
Kaitlyn turned and looked out the back window and saw the crumpled front of the car that hit them not far in the lane behind them.
“Shit. How did they find me so quickly?”
Kaitlyn turned back to the front of the car and slipped her Sig Sauer P320 from its shoulder holster and let its weight steady her shaking hand.
“They are right behind us.”
“I know. Just leave the driving to me and be careful where you point that pistol.” Richard did not even glance at her as he spoke, instead keeping his eyes glued to both the rear vision mirror and the road in front.
“I proved today that I know in what direction to point a gun.” Kaitlyn kept her own eyes on the wing mirror, watching the white car dodging in and around traffic behind them. But sitting in the seat, ready for action with her Sig Sauer in hand, made her feel useless. Richard was doing all the work, and Kaitlyn now had a deeper respect for the driving experience of this man.
And his Mercedes.
“How are we going to get rid of them?”
“Just leave that to me. I have a plan.”
Famous last words…. “Well?”
“Don’t be so impatient!” Richard replied, keeping most of his concentration squarely on the road and the traffic coming at them. “I’m getting to it.”
After a few moments more of concentrated driving, he glanced across at her. “It’s not Remy,” Richard said as he steered the car into another lane and increasing the number of cars between them and their pursuers. “This is someone else.”
“How do you know that?” Kaitlyn glared back out the rear windscreen and saw the car was further back behind, but still following. There was something odd about this situation.
“I just do. Something so blatant just isn’t her style.” He suddenly jerked the wheel and turned into a side street and then made several more right and left turns in quick succession through the back streets.
Kaitlyn tightened her grip on the handle of her pistol. And suddenly realized what was bothering her.
“Why aren’t they shooting at us?”
“I don’t know, and I don’t intend to stop and ask them.”
Again she looked behind and saw that the car no longer followed them.
“Richard, I think we’ve lost them.”
“I agree, but I’ll just swing around more of these back streets just to be on the safe side.”
Kaitlyn nodded and sank back into her seat. The tension quickly left her muscles, but the adrenaline buzz kept the shakes from returning to her arms. This was not how she pictured her first day as an active agent. And she certainly did not think to be spending it in Richard Gisborne’s company.
“Kaitlyn.”
Kaitlyn’s eyes snapped open as she felt a warm hand touch her shoulder. The car had stopped; parked on one of the back streets.
“Huh. Oh sorry, Richard.”
“We’ve lost them for now.”
“Who were they?”
“I don’t know.” Richard produced his mobile phone from his jacket pocket and selected a number from the speed dial.
“Phil. It’s Richard. Kaitlyn and I just had a run in with some unexpected friends. Can you get someone to run a number plate for me?” A smile tugged one end of Richard’s generous mouth as he listened to the reply.
“I don’t want to get Wheeler worked up, that’s why I’m asking if you’ll do it.”
Richard smiled again, and Kaitlyn watched his mouth move in fascination. She did not know if it was the adrenaline, but there was away about Richard that attracted her.
Richard told Phil the number, said thank you and hung up the phone. He turned to Kaitlyn and smiled. “Phil will get back to us.”
Kaitlyn realized she was staring and quickly looked away. “You have Phil on speed dial?”
Richard just shrugged and slipped his phone back into his jacket pocket.
“What do we do in the meantime?”
“Find somewhere safe to hole up until Phil calls us back.”
“I thought we were going to see the Old Man?” Kaitlyn slipped her Sig Sauer back into its shoulder holster and then slumped back into her seat while adjusting the seatbelt to stop it from rubbing on her neck. “How long does it take to run a plate?
Kaitlyn knew exactly how long it took, but the urge to do something, anything, made her grab at any leads that might pull her forwards out of this mess.
Richard grinned at her.
“Remember, ‘Patience is a Virtue.’”
Kaitlyn snorted.
“And so is being busy and industrious. And let’s not forget, ‘Idle hands create the Devil’s Playground.’”
“No need to get so melodramatic,” Richard said as he leaned back in his seat. “Don’t take your frustrations out on me.”
“I’m not. I just don’t enjoy staying still when I know some lunatic, crazy arsed bitch is gunning for my life.”
“Remy wouldn’t gun you down, Kaitlyn. If you’ve really pissed her off, she would make you suffer a long, tormenting agony before she finally decides to put you out of your misery.”
“Gee…thanks for those words of comfort.” Kaitlyn’s words dripped of sarcasm and as she opened her mouth to speak again, Richard’s phone rang.
“Hi Phil,” Richard snapped as he answered the phone.
“You have ‘Land Down Under’ as Phil’s ringtone?”
Richard glared at Kaitlyn as he listened to Phil. “Yes. Yes, I know the area.” Richard listened a moment more. “Text me the address and see what more you can find out. Bye.” Richard flicked his phone off and tucked it back into his shirt pocket.
“That car was registered to a bogus address.”
“That’s not surprising,” Kaitlyn said.
“The address is an abandoned warehouse on the Docklands. Phil is going to see if he can find out anything on the place.”
“Is Phil going to tell David about the warehouse?”
Richard shook his head and then smirked. “We’ll leave that joyous event to Ishmael. Wheeler can’t yell at Him.”
“If the team goes to check out that warehouse, then I want to go with them. After all, I’m supposed to be part of the team. I should be with them when they actually go out and do something.”
“You think Wheeler is going to stop you going for your own protection?”
“Yes, I do. If he thinks I’m in trouble, he goes all ‘Big Brother’ on me.”
“Ishmael should have assigned you to me. At least I would let you do your job,” Richard said as he started the car. “But what’s done is done. And the sooner I get you to Ishmael’s place, the sooner we can get this all sorted out.” He shifted the car into Drive and pulled out into the winding back streets of Glenelg.
CHAPTER
THIRTEEN
◆◆◆
The sound of tires on gravel bought Kaitlyn out of her sour thoughts. And as she looked up at the imposing house before them, suddenly remembered who she was about to meet. The thought of meeting ‘The Old Man’ terrified her, and the many stories Kaitlyn had heard about him did not help quash her fears.
Feeling a hand on her shoulder, Kaitlyn turned to look at Richard as he said, “We’re here.”
She nodded as Richard released his seat belt and got out of the car. But she remained sitting in her seat.
“Are you coming?”
Kaitlyn turned and saw Richard was standing in the open driver’s door, bent slightly to stare across at her, his black hair falling over his eyes.
“Yes.” The
answer was dragged reluctantly from her lips and her hands moved slowly to the fastener for the seat belt.
“He’s not that terrifying Kaitlyn. Though I wouldn’t want to leave him waiting either.” Richard then stood up and closed the driver’s door, leaving Kaitlyn in the passenger’s seat.
“Okay, I get the point.”
Pushing down her fear, Kaitlyn opened the door and stepped quickly from the car. The sound of the car door closing echoed around the extensive gardens and made Kaitlyn feel alone and isolated.
In the growing twilight everything was still, silent, and ominous. The smell of Jasmine hung heavy in the air and made Kaitlyn relax a little. Nothing bad could happen to you if you could smell Jasmine.
Kaitlyn smiled at the lunacy of the thought. She then noticed Richard waiting for her under the Verandah and she hurried quickly to him. The front door was already open and a blonde man dressed in what Kaitlyn automatically called a ‘Penguin Suit’ stood waiting for them.
The man gave them a small bow.
“Mr. Rothe is expecting you, Mr. Gisbourne, Miss Winter. If you would like to follow me?”
The butler and his impassive face turned and disappeared into the house. Kaitlyn looked at Richard. She had never encountered a real bona fide butler before.
Giving her a smile, Richard followed the blonde man through the door and, after fighting a moment of indecision, Kaitlyn quickly joined him.
The blonde butler led them silently to a very red, very opulent room.
“Mister Rothe will be with you shortly. In the meantime, please make yourself comfortable.”
“Thank you,” Richard replied with a nod.
The man then gave them another small bow and left them.
“The Old Man has a butler?” Kaitlyn hissed.
“Yes, he does. Didn’t Wheeler tell you about him when he saw Ishmael on the weekend?”
Kaitlyn shook her head. “No, he didn’t, though he did have more important news to give me. A butler would have skipped his mind.”
“Why are you so fascinated by a butler?” Richard asked with a bemused expression on his face.
“Oh, I don’t know…I just can’t understand why someone would want to devote their entire working life to be at the beck and call of their employer.” Kaitlyn shrugged. “It’s probably the uncouth Australian in me.”
“Sinclair has been with Ishmael Rothe all the time I’ve known him. And he is very devoted to The Old Man.”
“I’d be very devoted to a person who could burn me to a cinder within the blink of an eye.”
“If I lit up every person who did not listen to me, I’d be a very lonely man.”
Kaitlyn jumped at the sound of Ishmael Rothe’s voice behind her.
“That you would be, being as you would then be incarcerated in an Iso-block somewhere.” Richard smiled.
“Only if someone could catch me.” Rothe smiled back. “Glad to see you in a much better mood than you were this morning, Richard.”
The smile quickly disappeared from Richard’s face.
“We’ll talk more on that later Richard.” Rothe turned to Kaitlyn. “It is very nice to finally meet you in person, Kaitlyn. Though, I would have liked for it to be under better circumstances.”
Kaitlyn could only manage a sickly grin in reply while staring at him. Rothe was shorter than she thought he would be, but in the well-tailored dark Armani suit and vibrant red silk tie, Ishmael certainly looked the part of a wealthy and powerful business man.
“Wheeler has kept me updated about this case-”
“Phil Summerby should have contacted you as well.” Richard interrupted.
“Yes. He did. And I have passed that information onto David Wheeler.”
Kaitlyn’s eyes widened in alarm. If David already has the warehouse address, what’s to stop him from taking the team out without her? She glared at Richard. He told her that this would not happen.
Rothe must have seen her reaction. He smiled at her. “Don’t worry. They won’t be going anywhere without you. I’ve given David Wheeler strict instructions to contact me when he has formulated a search and seize plan. He is not to do anything until he has my go ahead.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“Call me Ishmael. Sir just makes me feel old.”
“Okay.” Kaitlyn inwardly winced at how lame that sounded. She hated being nervous.
“Do you have any more information about LeBruye other than what Phil gave to Wheeler?” Richard’s deep voice cut in, drawing the Old Man’s attention away from Kaitlyn.
The Old Man actually frowned.
“I know a lot more about Bill than anyone at the AFP could possibly know. And that includes the plain fact that Bill would never work with The Sharda for any reason.”
The Old Man’s tone brooked no argument, and there was no way Kaitlyn was going to push him. Richard did not look fazed by the Old Man’s outburst, but the hair rising on her arms showed her that Richard was uneasy.
“So, he would not be why The Sharda is coming after Kaitlyn.”
“The best way to know anything is to get the information straight from the source. We will have to pull in one of their people and interrogate them.”
“That’s easier said than done, Ishmael.”
“That’s why Wheeler is going to raid that warehouse.”
Richard went ridged. “You can’t do that.”
The Old Man gave Richard an icy stare that even the Master of Weather could not match. “I can do that. And I have.” His voice was just as frosty. The congenial warmth that was in Ishmael’s voice moments ago was now gone.
“The Sharda will be expecting us to do something like that.”
“And I don’t intend to let them down.”
The Old Man turned his gaze onto Kaitlyn, and she saw a warming twinkle in his eye. “Don’t worry about being left out. I’ve given orders to Mister Wheeler that he has to take you with them.”
CHAPTER
FOURTEEN
◆◆◆
“Richard. I need to stop by my apartment on the way back to the office.”
“Can’t it wait? You’ll be needed for the briefing before the raid starts.”
Kaitlyn shook her head. “If I’m going on this mission, then I want to have my second firearm with me. It’s in the gun safe in my apartment.”
Richard answered with a non-committal grunt.
Scowling, Kaitlyn turned on him. “I was taught that it is always best to go into unfamiliar territory with weapons, you know. That is why I want my other Sig Sauer. I know them and they are reliable. I don’t want to use a strange gun.”
“Okay, okay. You better not live far from here because Wheeler is not going to wait long for you.”
“I’m only a few minutes away from here. Let me guide you.”
◆◆◆
Richard pulled his Mercedes outside of Kaitlyn’s apartment complex. As she jumped out of the passenger seat, he called out to her. “Be quick!”
“I will,” Kaitlyn replied before darting quickly down the concrete communal driveway and turning into the throughway that separated the apartment fronts from each other.
As she ran up the stairs to her apartment, Kaitlyn turned and glanced to Adam’s front door. His outside light was on (it always was) and the curtains were partly drawn. He was probably still in bed.
Kaitlyn fished her keys from her bag and looked up to unlock her security door when she noticed it unlatched. The main door was closed, but she had a hunch that it too would be unlocked.
Kaitlyn slipped her keys back into her bag before letting it drop to the ground, freeing her right arm. Pulling her Sig Sauer from its shoulder holster, Kaitlyn paused on the welcome mat to listen carefully, but could hear nothing coming from her apartment. Maybe whoever had visited had left already?
Better not to take chances. Taking a firm grip of her sidearm, Kaitlyn flicked open her security door and kicked open the main door. She ducked to the side so as not to make an obvious ta
rget and silently thanked ‘whoever’ was listening that the main door had been left unlatched.
There was no gunfire, no one springing out to grab her, no shouting, no nothing.
Kaitlyn kept standing in the doorway, Sig Sauer in hand, listening for any noises that did not belong in her home. Her ears could detect nothing. But Kaitlyn had a feeling deep in her gut that someone, or something, was still in there.
Taking a firmer grip on her firearm, she stepped into her apartment. Sunlight crept through the cracks in the drawn curtains, striping her living room in bands of gray light. Everything looked normal. Nothing was out of place. Even the papers she had accidentally brushed off the coffee table on her way to work this morning were still on the carpet where they had landed.
Something still felt wrong and as Kaitlyn thought on it, she realized what it was. There was a smell. A faint sickly perfume of flowers lingered in the air.
From her cursory glance, the smell looked to be the only thing her unwanted visitor had left behind. There were still the bedrooms and bathroom to check. Kaitlyn wrinkled her nose and moved into her living room, the Sig Sauer ready to come up in an eye blink.
As Kaitlyn moved forward, it quickly felt like she was walking through treacle. Her body was resisting her, moving into her apartment. She stopped and bought her firearm up. Kaitlyn’s survival instincts were now screaming within her.
The air around her suddenly felt thick and oppressive, and the smell of flowers increased to the point where Kaitlyn had to stop herself from gagging from the heady scent.
Looking about the room showed nothing different, nothing out of place. And yet Kaitlyn found herself locked in mid motion, unable to move. The air around Kaitlyn now felt like quick setting concrete had been poured around her, locking her in place.
Kaitlyn tried to finish her step but found herself locked in midair. Try as she might, no part of her could move. A needle of fear passed through her. What the hell is happening? Muscles strained as they tried to push against whatever was holding her.
It was like being paralyzed, but with the strange sensation of feeling her muscles moving. Kaitlyn relaxed after a moment of struggle. The spike of fear now dropped to a dull anxiety as Kaitlyn used her logical mind to push it down deep within her.