As Nikki climbed into her SUV and got the heat going, Oliver studied the screen on his laptop. Hawk was on Nikki’s living room couch, asleep. Tori and Lidia were both asleep in the guest bedroom. “Up so early and leaving without the cowboy,” Oliver said and took a sip of coffee instead of honey water. “What are you up to? Perhaps I should take a stroll up to your store.”
Nikki counted on Oliver seeing her sneak out of the cabin. As she backed out of the driveway, her mind began to race. “Calm down,” she whispered. “You're in control of this game. You can do this, girl. You're Nikki Bates and—”
“And you make some really good chocolates.”
Nikki screamed and slammed on the brakes. The SUV skidded to a stop. Chief Daily straightened up from the back seat. “Mr. Purry at your service.”
“Oh, Chief Daily,” Nikki said, terrified, and then laughed. “You scared me!”
Chief Daily crawled into the front seat. “Okay, here's how I have the board arranged. The FBI is using the same satellite to monitor Oliver Bates’ movements that he’s been using to watch yours. But we have to be careful, Nikki. The man has stolen a very deadly virus. He also stole an equally deadly chemical that if used in a smoke form, can put an entire city block to sleep...for good.”
“The same chemical found in my chocolate.”
Chief Daily nodded. “Nikki, we have credible information that Oliver Bates is going to transfer his stolen substances to a known terrorist group in Canada. We have to stop him.”
“I guess it was a good thing he decided to pay me a visit first,” Nikki said.
“The man is mentally ill, Nikki, and very unstable. He was diagnosed with cancer last year. I guess he wants to go out with a bang.”
“And destroy me in the process,” Nikki sighed.
Chief Daily looked down at the cell phone he was holding. A map glowed on the screen. On the map, a little red dot was moving. “Bates is on the move. You better get us moving, too.”
As Nikki drove toward town, Chief Daily reached into the back seat and grabbed a black backpack. Opening it, he pulled out a fake beard and wig. “The wig and beard along with this gray suit should make me look convincing.”
“I hope so,” Nikki said. “Chief Daily, you don't think Oliver Bates will release the virus he stole in Maple Hills, do you? He only wants to destroy my life.”
“Who knows?” Chief Daily answered honestly. “A man in his mental state is capable of anything. But what I do know is that I'm glad you and I are on the same team.”
Nikki smiled. “Me, too.”
Nikki parked her SUV in front of her store and carefully climbed out. Chief Daily followed suit, fussing the entire time. “You didn't need to come to my home!” he complained.
“I needed to make sure you were going to keep your word,” Nikki replied. “Please, Mr. Purry, let's talk inside my store. It's freezing out here.”
Chief Daily glanced around the ice-covered downtown district. “Yes, fine,” he agreed. “You can make me a cup of coffee.”
Already standing inside Nikki's chocolate shop, Oliver Bates watched Nikki help an older gentleman up an icy sidewalk toward the front door. “Hello, Mr. Purry,” he whispered and dropped back into the shadows.
Nikki reached into her coat pocket and drew out the store keys. With cold hands, she unlocked the front door and moved aside. “After you, Mr. Purry.”
Chief Daily stepped into the store, found the light switch, and flipped it on. As soon as the lights pushed the darkness away, Oliver appeared with a pistol in his right hand. “Close the door, Nikki,” he ordered.
Nikki looked at the pistol and slowly closed and locked the front door. “Here he is, Oliver.”
“What is this all about?” Chief Daily asked in an angry voice. “Who are you? And how dare you aim a gun at me?”
“You're early,” Oliver told Nikki, ignoring Chief Daily.
“The roads are dangerous, and I needed to make a side stop and gather up Mr. Purry,” Nikki explained.
“Who are you?” Chief Daily demanded, locking eyes with Oliver. “What is this all about?” Spinning around to face Nikki, he threw a finger into her face. “Is this some kind of joke, Ms. Bates? Because I am not amused.”
“Please, Mr. Purry, just speak with Mr. Bates,” Nikki begged.
Oliver shook his head at Nikki. “Nikki, did you really believe I would accept this awful man in exchange for justice?”
“What do you mean?” Nikki asked, alarmed. “Oliver, we made a deal.”
“No, Nikki, you made a deal,” Oliver grinned. “Now you will be locked away in prison for two murders instead of one.”
“What do you mean?”
Oliver took his left hand and reached into his coat pocket and extracted a syringe. “Inject this serum into Mr. Purry's neck, Ms. Bates, at once,” he ordered.
“But we made a deal! I…” Nikki stumbled. “Oliver, I swear, I won't tell anyone you killed your wife. I promise.”
Oliver rolled his eyes. “Nikki, Nikki, Nikki, please don't insult yourself in such a demeaning manner. As you can clearly see, I'm in control. I was in control the night I murdered my wife and disposed of your memory, and I'm in control now.”
“You killed your wife?” Chief Daily asked in a shocked voice.
Oliver rolled his eyes again. “Are you deaf?” he asked.
“Many years ago, this man murdered his wife in Atlanta, Georgia,” Nikki told Chief Daily, pretending to act weak and scared.
“I injected my wife with the same chemical I used to disable and murder Mrs. Grove,” Oliver confessed proudly. “But Jane was a fighter and required more…force.”
“I saw the murder,” Nikki told Chief Daily, “but before I could escape, this man captured me and injected me with the same serum he wants me to inject you with.”
“Oh yes,” Oliver hissed as he breathed in the scent of delicious chocolate, “this serum is a very dear friend. It allows me to control the minds of my victims. For example,” Oliver motioned toward the front counter with his eyes, “press play on that tape recorder, Nikki.”
Hesitantly, Nikki walked to the front counter and pressed play on a small, black tape recorder. The voice of Mrs. Grove began screaming, “No! Nikki, don't...don't hurt me...no…”
And then, to Nikki's horror, she heard her own voice yell, “I'm going to kill you!”
“You see,” Oliver said, pleased, “I control everyone.”
“My voice—I sounded much younger,” Nikki told Oliver.
“You, Nikki, are going to prison for the murder of my wife and Mrs. Grove.”
“What about Mr. Purry?” Nikki asked.
Oliver's face became very displeased. “Mr. Purry will come with me and serve an entirely different purpose.”
Chief Daily looked at Nikki. The time to act had come. “I'm leaving at once,” he said and marched toward the front door. With his back turned toward Oliver, he reached into his jacket and pulled a gun from a hidden shoulder holster. “Freeze!” Chief Daily yelled, spinning around. But before he could say anything else, Oliver fired, and the shot hit Chief Daily in the chest.
“No!” Nikki yelled as the chief crashed down onto the floor. “You monster!”
Oliver pointed his gun at Nikki. “You betrayed me!” he hissed. “I believed that man was really who you said he was!”
Nikki ran to Chief Daily and squatted down beside him. “No,” she cried.
“Stand up,” Oliver ordered Nikki and slung the syringe at her. “Inject the syringe into your neck immediately.”
“You monster!” Nikki yelled again.
“Stand up now, or I will make your son forget you ever existed, Nikki Bates,” Oliver warned.
Nikki stood up. “Okay, okay...” she said and picked up the syringe. Drawing in a deep breath, she slid the needle into the side of her neck. Slowly, she became very still and very mute.
“Very good,” Oliver said, pleased. Putting his gun away, he walked over to Nikki. Waving his han
ds in front of her eyes, he tested her reactions. “Nikki?” She didn't respond. “Excellent.” He took her hand, walked her into the back office, sat her down in a chair, and then journeyed back into the store.
Nikki glanced at the office door. “Hawk, the fake skin on my neck protected me,” she whispered, “but he shot your dad. I think his bulletproof vest stopped the bullet, but I'm not sure.” Hearing movement, Nikki looked forward and pretended to be in a hypnotic daze.
Oliver pushed open the office door. With tremendous effort, he pulled Chief Daily's body into the office. “Now,” he said, breathing hard, “it's time to end this game.” Standing in front of Nikki, he reached into his pocket and drew out a silver pocket watch and began swinging the item back and forth in front of Nikki's eyes. In an instant, Nikki blinked, reached out, and grabbed Oliver's wrists. “What…no!” Oliver yelled, startled.
Nikki lunged to her feet, released her right hand, balled it into a tight fist, and punched Oliver as hard as she could in the face. He stumbled backward, tripped over Chief Daily's body, and fell down onto the floor. “The games we play always end,” Nikki told him.
Dazed and hurt, Oliver struggled to look up at Nikki. With weak hands, he tried to retrieve his gun, but Chief Daily grabbed his hand before he could. “No, you don't,” Chief Daily said in a pained voice.
“You're alive!” Nikki cried.
Before Oliver could understand what was happening, Hawk rushed into the office with his gun drawn. When he saw Oliver lying next to Chief Daily, he ran to the man and slapped handcuffs on him. “You're under arrest.”
“Am I?” Oliver asked wearily. “Perhaps the game is over,” he said and looked at Nikki with deadly eyes, “but not for me.”
“The virus?” Nikki exclaimed and pulled the fake skin off her neck and threw it down onto the floor.
Oliver stared at her. “So you are smarter than I assumed,” he said, “but fake skin will not save you from my virus.”
“Where is the virus?” Hawk demanded.
“By noon the town of Maple Hills will become one silent graveyard,” Oliver informed Hawk. “You see, I don't like to lose. I figured if I somehow lost to Ms. Bates, I would still win in the end.”
Chief Daily struggled to his feet and rubbed his chest. “Darn vest never works well.”
“You're alive, Pop, be grateful,” Hawk said.
“Yeah, but for how long?” Chief Daily asked worriedly. “Hawk, we need to begin evacuating everyone out of Maple Hills. We have less than...” Chief Daily checked his watch, “one hour.”
Oliver laughed. “Run away, little rats, but you will never escape. You see, my virus is attached to a voice-controlled bomb. All I have to do is say the password and...well, perhaps people will receive more than a mere runny nose. Now, take these horrible handcuffs off me and I will spare this miserable little town. And you, Nikki Bates, I will deal with you some other time.”
Nikki marched up to Oliver and locked eyes with him. “Look into my eyes, Oliver, and listen carefully. If you release your virus, you will die. I will stand right here and watch you die, even if it means dying along with you. Today your sick game ends.”
Oliver stared right back. “Set me free, or people will die, and you will be the one everyone will blame.”
“So be it, just as long as you die,” Nikki replied. “Hawk, Chief Daily, start evacuating the town. I will remain right here with this monster—this monster who killed an innocent woman who found out her husband was creating a deadly virus in the basement of their home. How much did you get paid to betray your country, Mr. Bates? Was it enough to kill your wife and forsake your career?”
“You will suffer,” Oliver promised Nikki. “I will return for you. I control you.”
“You no longer control anything! Your days of terrorizing people are over.”
“Never,” Oliver hissed in Nikki's face.
Nikki grinned. Reaching into the front pocket of Oliver's jacket, she pulled out a second syringe. “I assumed you came prepared with a back-up. Now, let's make you talk.”
Oliver's eyes grew wide. “No, you mustn’t...No!”
“Hawk, get ready to become an expert at hypnosis,” Nikki said and jabbed the syringe into Oliver's neck. The last thing Oliver Bates would remember before waking up behind bars would be Nikki Bates’ victorious face smiling at him.
“Son, do you think you can make this man talk?” Chief Daily asked.
“Only one way to find out,” Hawk said and pulled his gold pocket watch out. “Okay,” he said and drew in a deep breath, “here we go.”
Outside, the winds continued to howl and scream as another storm front moved toward the sleepy little town of Maple Hills.
14
“So, you found the virus hidden in the car?” Lidia asked Nikki as she helped her slide a pretty brown couch out onto the floor of the chocolate shop. “Whew, this is hard work. Time for a break.”
Nikki agreed and plopped down onto the couch. “We found the virus hidden in the trunk of the rental car, attached to a small fan. The bomb in the trunk was designed to pop the trunk open while igniting the fan at the same time. I hate to admit it, but it was a brilliant design,” Nikki explained. Glancing down at the blue wool dress she was wearing, she smiled. “Hawk is taking me for a walk in the snow later.”
Lidia looked at the front window. Heavy snow was falling, covering Maple Hills with a cozy, white blanket. “Herbert used to take me for walks in the snow,” she sighed. “Maybe I can get that old coot to stir long enough to throw a snowball at a squirrel?”
Nikki laughed. “I'm sure you can!” She looked at Tori. “How's it going?”
“All set,” Tori beamed. Carrying a wooden tray holding three white cups of hot coconut cocoa, she eased her way toward the couch from behind the front counter.
“Don't spill any on that pretty green dress,” Lidia begged.
“And don't you spill a drop on that gorgeous pink sweater Nikki and I bought you,” Tori smiled at Lidia.
Lidia looked down at her sweater. “I would never forgive myself if I did,” she told them.
“You look beautiful,” Tori exclaimed. “It’s hot, be careful,” she said, lowering the wooden tray down to the couch.
Nikki took her cup of hot chocolate and leaned back. Staring at the falling snow through the front window, she sighed happily. “After Hawk and Chief Daily left me alone with Oliver, I made sure to end his game.”
“Do tell,” Lidia said excitedly as she took her cup of hot chocolate off the wooden tray.
“Yes, tell us,” Tori begged.
“The name Nikki Bates means absolutely nothing to Oliver now. Anytime anyone mentions my name to him, he will only remember falling off a very high cliff...which I made him believe was his worst fear.”
“You're a very devious woman,” Lidia teased.
“I have my son to protect,” Nikki replied, keeping her eyes on the snow. “Oliver Bates no longer knows my son exists, either.”
“You did well,” Lidia congratulated Nikki. “You won the battle against a very deadly man and saved countless lives. Everyone in Maple Hills is grateful to you...except a few, who are moving away.”
Nikki grew solemn. “The battle is won for now, but when will the next one arrive? When will the next criminal show up and throw pie in my face?”
Tori looked at Lidia. Lidia reached out with her left hand and patted Nikki's knee. “Honey, if and when the next bozo shows up, we'll have your back. We're a family, and family sticks together.”
“That's right,” Tori agreed.
Nikki smiled. “Thanks, girls. That means the world to me.”
The front door opened, and Hawk walked in, paused, shook the snow off his brown coat, and then looked back over his shoulder. “Darn kids…Stop throwing snowballs at me!” he yelled.
Nikki giggled. “I see the ‘Snowball Gang’ has struck again.”
“Brats,” Hawk fussed and closed the front door. “Ready for lunch?”
/> “Ready for our walk in the snow, too,” Nikki smiled.
“Not with those armed and dangerous brats outside,” Hawk objected.
“Oh, Hawk, you aren't afraid of a bunch of nine-year-olds, are you?” Nikki asked.
“Yes, ma’am, I sure am,” Hawk confessed. “Those kids have lethal aim. I got whapped in the back of the head four times before I could reach my jeep.”
“Poor baby,” Lidia told Hawk.
“Poor baby is right,” Hawk replied and rubbed the back of his head. “Oh, by the way, I got some news I want to share.”
“We're all ears,” Nikki said and sipped her hot chocolate.
“Oliver Bates died of a heart attack earlier this morning. He was found dead in his cell, cold as ice,” Hawk explained. “Some of the prison guards reported hearing him say your name and then scream, say your name again, and then scream. They said the man did that all night long.”
Nikki smiled. “Well, now, at least Oliver Bates died knowing who really won the game. Justice is served. Let's go for our walk in the snow.” Nikki giggled. “And don't worry, tiger, I'll protect you from those nine-year-old monsters lurking outside.”
“Not funny, Nikki,” Hawk groused. “Those brats hate me. Yesterday I got hit with a total of ten snowballs, and that was before lunch. I think they're trying to set a record or something.”
Nikki stood up and walked to Hawk. Without saying a word, she stood up on her tippy-toes and kissed him. “Listen to me, Hawk Daily, I love you. Now take me for my walk in the snow. Afterward, we will walk to the diner, eat a nice lunch, and come back to the store.”
“We need your back, big guy,” Lidia told Hawk and tipped him a wink. “We have more furniture to move.”
Maple Hills Mystery Box Set Page 23