“It’s a deal,” Mack said, giving an exaggerated salute.
They crept forward. Shelby kept his eyes peeled for guards, finally picking one up on the far left who was walking slowly in the opposite direction. A dog—Shelby thought it was a Doberman—walked next to the guard. The leash was slack and gripped loosely in the guard’s hand. Shelby waved to get Mack’s attention and then motioned toward the guard. Mack nodded and took a step in that direction…and stepped on what must have been the driest branch in Kent County.
Shelby cringed and could have sworn he saw the dog’s ears prick up. But the guard never broke his stride, and after a minute, Shelby’s pulse returned to normal.
“Nice one, Daniel Boone,” he whispered. “You nearly got us eaten by a bloodthirsty guard dog.”
Mack scowled. “That damn stick was covered in dead leaves. Kit Carson himself would’ve stepped on it.”
“As much as I would love to stand here and trade insults based on legends of the frontier, we need to get in position before we get a signal from Jimmy and Helen.”
“If we get the signal.”
Shelby’s face tightened. “Right. If we get the signal. But we’ll have to proceed as if it’s coming. And when it does—if it does—there won’t be a moment to waste.”
“Oh, shit.” Jimmy tapped the brake on the Jeep but kept driving. His eyes were glued to the front of the house that had come into view. Darkmore stood, waiting for them, flanked by armed men.
“Looks like they’re ready for us,” Helen said. “And they’re not planning on us leaving either.” She motioned over her shoulder.
Jimmy looked in the rearview mirror and saw a black SUV creeping along behind, preventing them from reversing. Another vehicle was parked a little way beyond the main entrance, blocking that exit.
“This is it,” Helen said. “We have officially crossed the Rubicon.”
Jimmy didn’t know what she meant but didn’t feel this was the best time to ask. Instead, he focused on keeping his heartrate at a sustainable level and resisting the urge to stomp on the gas and run over the reception party. He pulled even with Darkmore’s position and stopped the car. Guards immediately moved forward and took up positions around the Jeep. One of them opened Jimmy’s door and motioned impatiently for him to exit. A second did the same for Helen. They were both quickly frisked for weapons. The first guard shoved Jimmy forward, directing him toward Darkmore, but Jimmy pushed him away with a bravado he didn’t feel.
“Get your hands off me. I can see he’s standing there.” Jimmy hoped by exhibiting a bit of righteous indignation, he might shore up his image enough to support the claim he was about to make. If nothing else, Darkmore admired strength, and Jimmy knew it would be a mistake now to exhibit any kind of weakness.
A moment later, he stood looking into Darkmore’s eyes. Those eyes were dark and inscrutable, the face impassive. Jimmy tried to read the expression, but it was like trying to read a blank page. Darkmore must be one hell of a poker player, Jimmy thought.
Darkmore spoke, his voice low and measured. “Well, well. The prodigal has returned. And under his own power. I must admit you are full of surprises.” He turned to Helen. “And you’ve brought the Tucker woman along. Trying to make amends, are we?”
Jimmy nodded. He tried to keep his voice even, almost casual, yet not flippant. “Something like that.”
“Why this sudden change of heart?”
“You as much as said it yourself.”
“I don’t follow you.”
“I realized I had to make a choice. That I’d been half-assing it. I guess I realized I owed you something after all you’d done for me. I also decided I wanted what you have, and the only way to get it was to make my choice and do what had to be done. I realize now I’ve been weak, and not living up to the example you’ve set. I want to change that.”
“And you thought by turning the woman over to me, you could show you were serious.”
“That’s right.”
“A noble gesture.” Darkmore turned toward the house. “Let’s go inside, shall we? We can talk in more comfort there.”
The jangle of paranoia sounded in Jimmy’s head. Did Darkmore suspect there were gunmen in the trees who might even now be watching him through a gunsight? He took a deep breath, willing himself to remain calm. They were still alive. That was a victory.
The party moved inside, with two guards remaining outside the front doors. Darkmore led the way into a well-lit sitting room and motioned for Jimmy and Helen to take a seat. He sat across from them, crossing his legs at the ankles and clasping his hands in his lap, looking disturbingly genteel for so vicious a killer.
A smile at last creased Darkmore’s face, but it was humorless and restrained. “I must admit I didn’t expect to see you again alive. My men had orders to bring you back, but I assumed you wouldn’t return without a fight, given what you saw earlier today.”
Jimmy nodded. “I thought you might be testing me. You left the door open on purpose, didn’t you?”
“I did. And it was a test, one I thought you’d failed. I’m pleased to find I may have been mistaken. Although one must wonder why you didn’t simply come to me and say you wanted one more chance.”
“I didn’t think you’d give it to me. I only thought you were testing me; I didn’t know for sure. There was always the possibility you were warning me, telling me what awaited. I couldn’t take that chance.”
“A reasonable assumption,” Darkmore said. “And not entirely off base. My reasons for showing you the kill room were many and varied. I felt you were not taking either myself or my operation seriously enough. You treated it like a game, one you could either win or lose. But there is no room from such a philosophy in my circle. Anyone who adopts that line of thinking becomes the weak link and must be removed before they endanger everyone. That isn’t me being harsh; it’s simply a fact. And one I feared you did not understand.”
“And I didn’t,” Jimmy said. “Until today. You really opened my eyes. When I saw the lengths you were willing to go, I felt ashamed of my own weakness.”
Darkmore’s smile became a shade more genuine. “I find that statement most gratifying.” He paused, then said, “Tell me, how did you find the woman so quickly? I was under the impression you had no idea where to find her.”
For a moment, Jimmy’s mind froze. He was certain his face betrayed him, but Darkmore’s expression never changed.
“Well, I—” Jimmy thought frantically. “I always knew where to find her. At least, I thought I did.”
“Ah, another lie.” Darkmore shook his head. “Such a tangled web. But no matter. You’ve brought her now. Does she have the money?”
Jimmy shook his head. “No. I wasn’t able to find that. I honestly think she’s gambled it all away. That’s what she used the loan money for too.”
Darkmore’s face darkened. “People and their vices. There are few things I hate more. Vices suggest weakness and I abhor weakness. People should be able to control their urges, lest their urges control them.” He stood and motioned to a guard. “If she doesn’t have the money, then there is little need to keep her here. Take her to the kill room and lock her in with her daughter. I’ll tend to them shortly, as I’m feeling agitated and need relaxation.”
Helen allowed the guard to lead her away, putting up only a nominal struggle. Jimmy watched her go and his already clenching stomach twisted. He would have to step carefully from this point forward. One wrong word, a slip of any kind to make Darkmore suspect this was a trap, and they would be killed immediately. Delay was the only weapon in Jimmy’s arsenal.
Darkmore walked to the window that looked out over the front drive. Then he looked back at Jimmy. “Is there something wrong with your car? I notice you’re driving a different vehicle.”
“No, I—the Jeep belongs to Mrs. Tucker. I had parked my car quite a distance down the street, because I knew she was familiar with it and I didn’t want to scare her off. When I made the g
rab, I couldn’t risk walking her at gunpoint all the way to my car, so we took hers.”
Darkmore nodded. Something seemed to be on his mind, Jimmy thought. Darkmore took out a cellphone, dialed, waited, then disconnected. He walked back to his chair and sat down, silently observing Jimmy for several moments. Jimmy forced himself not to fidget under the piercing gaze.
“I’m going to be honest with you, Jimmy, because I feel you deserve that. When I found out you’d run, I assumed the worst. And I was furious. So furious, in fact, that I sent some men to kill you, and told them to let me know as soon as it was done.”
Jimmy affixed what he hoped was a wounded expression on his face. Then he nodded grudgingly. “I understand. I would have done the same, in your position. I hope you know you can call them off now.”
“I tried to. No answer. The last I knew, they had pinpointed the location of your car and were closing in. That was some time ago now.”
A brief second passed and then Jimmy realized he wasn’t supposed to know about the GPS unit on his car.
“How did they trace my car?”
“Before I gave it to you, I had a GPS tracking device installed. Nothing fancy, a simple unit that stuck inside the wheel well. But it allowed me to keep an eye on you.”
Jimmy shifted in his seat. “I’d like to be angry, but I guess you had reason to question after all.”
“Don’t be too hard on yourself,” Darkmore said. “Watching you go through this decision-making process will serve only to strengthen my future faith in you. Men who come to decisions too easily can’t always be trusted; they turn out to be fickle and disloyal, useless in tight situations.”
“You can trust me now, sir. I’ve learned from my mistakes and I understand what it takes.”
“I certainly hope so. And I think I have a way you can prove it.”
“Sir?”
“You say you’re ready to do whatever it takes to earn my trust and get the job done?”
“That’s right.”
Darkmore stood up, smiled, and began walking toward the door. “Excellent. Then follow me. Pass this test and you’re on your way, Jimmy. Well on your way.”
Jimmy followed, every nerve tingling with fear and dread. Darkmore hadn’t needed to tell him where they were headed. Jimmy already knew. They were going to the kill room.
17
The room looked the same as it had earlier that day, except the body on the table was gone and all traces of blood had been removed. Jimmy wondered absently who had the unenviable job of cleaning up after Darkmore finished “relaxing.”
Helen was with Leslie, sitting next to her on the cot, stroking her hair and whispering something that sounded like “It’s going to be all right.”
Jimmy didn’t feel quite so confident. He knew what Darkmore was going to ask him to do, and he also knew he wouldn’t be able to comply. The mere thought of holding those gleaming, wicked instruments made his own flesh crawl, to say nothing of using them to remove someone else’s flesh.
Darkmore walked to the middle of the room and then turned to Jimmy with a grand flourish.
“And here it is,” he said loudly, his voice echoing. “You’ve seen it before, but now take a better look. It is the backdrop to your redemption, Jimmy. The stepping stone to your future.”
Jimmy swallowed the bile in his throat. “I don’t understand.”
“Oh, I think you do. You see, as much as I try to present an infallible, immortal image, I won’t last forever. One day, a long time from now, I’ll need a successor. I once thought you would be that man. I saw something in you as a young man, an inner strength I had at that age. Your father didn’t have it. He was a weak man. But you—you were different. It was why I took you in. And it was why I became so angry when you seemed to turn your back on everything I had given you. Now you’ve returned, and I still see that spark inside, the spark of greatness that need only be stoked and tended to grow into something truly inspiring.” Darkmore was pacing now, back and forth between the tables with the intensity of a circus lion who’s had enough of the ring. Then he stopped abruptly and turned toward Jimmy, his dark eyes burning with the unmistakable flicker of madness. He gestured with both arms, holding them wide. “I want this for you, Jimmy. The money, the power…but first, you must prove yourself one last time. Do you have what it takes? Can you harness the darkness inside, the darkness that exists in all of us?”
Without waiting for an answer, Darkmore motioned to Malone.
“Prepare the girl.”
“No!” Helen screamed and clutched at Leslie, trying to cover her daughter with her own body. Malone went to the cage and unlocked the door. He stepped in and threw Helen aside with one arm.
“Get up,” he said.
Leslie closed her eyes, squeezing them tight against the tears that still oozed out and ran down the sides of her face. She didn’t move. Malone, still fending off frenzied attacks from Helen, bent down and picked Leslie up like a child. He carried her to the door of the cage and stepped out, kicking the door closed behind him. It slammed in Helen’s face, locking automatically with a click that seemed to reverberate through the room like a gunshot. She pounded on the bars, screaming and cursing.
“Let her go! I’ll kill you!”
Malone lay Leslie on the table. Jimmy’s legs turned rubbery and he felt himself going down. He grasped the table for support. He leaned against it, trying to appear casual as Darkmore looked back at him.
“Steady,” Darkmore said, not fooled by the charade. “It’s okay to feel weakness the first time. You must feel weakness for it to leave the body. The more you feel weakness, and act despite it, the more power you have over what remains. That is something your father never learned. He let his weakness control him. Don’t let it control you, Jimmy. Act. Exert authority over yourself.”
It was a slim chance, but it was all Jimmy had. He grasped at it.
“I want this…I want this. But I—I think I’m going to be sick.” Jimmy held his breath and watched Darkmore’s face. To his relief, the man smiled. It wasn’t much; only a flicker. But a smile.
“I understand. After my first time, I threw up all over myself. It’s natural. It’s the body cleansing itself. Visit the restroom, then come back here and we’ll begin.” He motioned to one of the guards. “Accompany Jimmy to the toilet and make sure he returns in one piece.”
Jimmy swore to himself. He supposed it had been too much to hope for that Darkmore would allow him to leave the room alone, given his escape earlier in the day.
The guard nodded and waited for Jimmy to exit the room, then took up a position behind him. Jimmy noticed the guard had drawn his pistol.
“Okay, move,” the guard said. “We don’t have all day.”
Jimmy walked down the hallway toward the bathroom, his mind whirring. The cellphone sat in his pocket, mocking him—so close, yet so inaccessible. If only he could find a way to let Shelby and Mack know what was happening. He cursed silently. The plan was going to hell.
Shelby watched the guard make his turn and begin walking back in the opposite direction. He had timed the circuit and found it took the guard two and a half minutes to make his route. The guard had his back to their position for around ninety seconds and was out of sight for thirty-seven seconds. Because of the dog, Shelby knew they wouldn’t be able to count on the full ninety seconds. That left them with a little over half a minute to make their move, assuming they weren’t picked up by a surveillance camera.
Mack shifted his position and groaned. “I’m too old to keep a position this long. Any news from inside?”
“Dead silence. And I’ve been checking my phone like a madman.”
“Maybe we should move in.”
“We’ll wait a little longer.”
“We might be waiting too long.”
“That’s a possibility. But we have to give Jimmy and Helen time.”
Mack shook his head. “This is not going to work. It never had a chance.”
&n
bsp; “Hold your wad. Didn’t you have tense stake-outs when you were a cop?”
“Sure. But I was never personally invested in the person I was watching. I care about Helen and Leslie. Jimmy’s a bit of a loser.”
“True. Although if it weren’t for him, we wouldn’t even have this slim chance.”
“If it weren’t for him, we might not have to worry about it.”
“There’s no point in playing that game. Let’s hope he comes through.” Shelby pointed to a decorative stand of trees and brush a few yards from their current position past the tree line. “It doesn’t appear a guard comes this far out, so I suggest we move and take shelter there. It’ll get us a little closer. When the time comes, every second will count.”
Mack nodded. “Let’s go.”
“We’ll wait until the guard disappears behind the house. That will give us at least half a minute to make the move. When we go, try to keep the trees between you and the house. I have to assume they have some kind of electronic surveillance.” Shelby watched the guard. “Okay…now! Go!”
The two men ran, bending low, until they reached the tree stand. Then they dropped to the ground, both breathing heavily.
“I feel like I’m back in training,” Mack said. “I was bad at this kind of thing then, and even worse now. God! I think I’m having a heart attack.”
Shelby smiled. “Don’t be selfish. We don’t have time for you to have a heart attack.”
“Thanks for the compassion.”
“Anytime. In fact, I think—” Shelby’s words were interrupted by the sound of a gunshot from inside the house.
18
Jimmy saw the door ahead, the door he’d used earlier to escape this house of horrors. He wondered if he could make it before the guard put a bullet in his back. Not likely. Even if he could, it would mean leaving Leslie and Helen in the hands of a madman. Not for the first time, Jimmy wondered how he’d been so blind to Darkmore’s true nature. He felt deeply responsible for the entire situation. Not only bringing Helen to the house, but for her involvement with Darkmore at all. That was a stretch, of course. She’d borrowed the money, she’d missed the payments. And if Jimmy hadn’t been assigned to collect, someone else would have. Yet a sense of liability hung over him. But it wasn’t his debt to Darkmore he hoped to repay.
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