Random Acts of Iniquity

by Christy Barritt

  I swallowed the lump in my throat. “It is confusing. It’s okay to miss us both in different ways and at different times. But I’m glad you’re having fun now. Your diabetes has been okay?”

  “It’s been fine. I’ve remembered my insulin and to check my blood sugar.”

  “Good girl.”

  “Okay, we’re going to go watch a parade tonight, so I’ve got to go. Thanks for calling!”

  I smiled at the excitement in her voice. “Okay, watch that parade and get lost in the magic!”

  “Oh, and Holly? Why did you send me a video of our house?”

  I froze. “What are you talking about?”

  “Yesterday I got a video from you in my email. It showed the front of our house. There were no words, just heavy breathing, like you were out of breath. It was kind of weird. I assumed it was so I wouldn’t forget you.”

  My stomach clenched yet again. This guy was getting to Sarah now? That wasn’t okay.

  “That was weird, wasn’t it?” I tried not to concern her too much. She was in Florida, far away from all of this. She should be safe. “But if you get any more messages supposedly from me, let me know. I’m afraid someone is trying to play some practical jokes on me.”

  “People are weird.”

  Doll Man’s face flashed in my mind again. “Tell me about it.”

  “Okay, talk to you later. Love you, Holly!”

  “I love you too!”

  * * *

  I met Chase back in his living room. I sat beside him on the couch, my thoughts racing. I told him about the video, and he looked upset, as I knew he would be. This guy had been outside my house. He’d probably taken the video from his car.

  And we’d been none the wiser.

  “Have there been any pings on my phone? Any leads?” I asked. If not, I wanted to shut that number down before the man could do any more damage.

  “Apparently, this guy has been able to redirect the pings, so it’s been a bit of a wild goose chase. But they’re still hoping for a breakthrough.” Chase paused. “I did hear something else as well. My guys talked to some people who frequently hang out around the warehouse where we found Kari. Two of them said they saw Kari talking to a man with dark hair. They said he looked out of place in the area.”

  “Do they know who he is?”

  “We’re looking into it.”

  I nodded before launching into another idea I’d had. “I had a thought.”

  “What’s that?”

  “The mask that man wore—”

  “We’re testing it for DNA right now.”

  “I figured you were. And I hope they find something, but I was thinking—it may be a custom mask. I mean, I’ve never seen one like it before.”

  “Okay . . .”

  I pulled my legs beneath me. “Well, how many companies make masks like that? I can’t imagine there would be that many.”

  “You’re probably right.”

  “I was hoping that maybe we could look online and see what we can find out.”

  “It can’t hurt.” Chase grabbed his laptop and set it on his lap. After the screen flashed on, he typed in “customized masks.” Several pages of results came up.

  “Maybe refine it to doll-face masks?” I suggested.

  “Let’s try it.” He did as I said. The pages went down to only two.

  We scrolled through various sites and finally narrowed the possibilities down to three different companies that created these masks.

  “Chase, if we can find the company who made it, they can tell us who paid for it. It could lead us to the person who’s behind this.”

  He nodded. “I think you’re right. Let me make some phone calls and see what I can find out.”

  Just as he picked up his phone, someone knocked at the door. He motioned for me to stay where I was as he went to answer.

  Jamie burst into the house, a wide grin on her face. I’d told her I was here. “Guess what?”

  I stood, anticipating where she was going with this. “What?”

  “I’m engaged!”

  Chapter Fifteen

  I rushed toward her and glanced at her outstretched hand. A diamond ring sat on her finger, sparkling in the light.

  “Oh, Jamie! Congratulations!” I pulled her into a hug, and we both squealed together.

  Chase gave us our moment.

  When we finally took a breath, he stretched out his arm for a congratulatory handshake. “I’m really happy for you and Wesley, Jamie. Congrats.”

  She beamed from ear to ear. “Thank you.”

  “How did he propose?” I held onto her arm, wanting to know every detail.

  “He made me this wonderful dinner at his place, and then we went out to the overlook to see the city lights. One minute, I was staring at Cincinnati. The next minute, I turned around and he was on one knee.” She squealed again. “I can’t believe I’m getting married! You have to be my maid of honor.”

  “Of course. I’d love to be!”

  Jamie and I stayed up for the next two hours talking about weddings and love. Chase disappeared, giving us some time to chat. I had a feeling he was making some phone calls about those masks. I really hoped that something turned up.

  Just before midnight, Jamie went home. I reminded myself that I was a big girl and perfectly capable of making wise choices and utilizing self-control. Still, a flutter of nerves went through me. What if this wasn’t a good idea?

  Though I tried my best to forget about Chase’s utterance of “I love you,” it again fluttered into my mind. I would like nothing more than to believe his words had been true . . . but I couldn’t let myself go there. I needed boundaries up in order to protect my heart.

  As soon as Jamie left, Chase joined me on the couch, his eyes bright as he nodded toward the door. “Good news, huh? Your best friend is getting married.”

  I smiled. “Yeah, it is, isn’t it? I’m really happy for her. She deserves all the happiness in the world.”

  “Her engagement is good news.” He shifted, signaling a change in the conversation. “But I have other good news, as well. We tracked down the address of the man who ordered the mask. It’s not far from here.”

  My breath caught. “Is that right?”

  “Wilson is headed there now.”

  “Can we go?”

  He took a step back, his face clouding. “That’s not a good idea.”

  “What if I stay in the car? The whole time? I just want to know if it’s him. I know you do too.”

  “I do but . . .”

  “Please?”

  Finally, he nodded. “Okay. Let’s go.”

  * * *

  Chase and I drove across town to the condo that had been rented by someone named Tyler Billings. The police were still looking into him, but he appeared to be the person who’d ordered that mask.

  I prayed we’d find the guy. That we’d stop him before he could do more damage.

  Twenty minutes later, we pulled to a stop in front of an expensive condo complex that overlooked the Ohio River. The building was newer, with a contemporary design and neatly landscaped green spaces.

  Chase left me in the car while he went over to chat with Wilson for a minute. I anxiously waited for him to return with news. Finally, ten minutes later, he did.

  He climbed back into the driver’s seat. “No one is there, but they got a warrant to search the place for clues. We should wait here for now.”

  “Understood.” Silence fell in the car.

  I stared out the window. Tapped my fingers. Tried to be patient.

  Chase shifted, turning toward me. As I glanced at him, I saw the serious look in his eyes. He was about to say something either heartfelt or heart-crushing. I wasn’t sure which.

  Chase swallowed hard before saying, “I’ve missed you, Holly.”

  I blinked. Had I just heard him correctly? I knew I had, but his words threw me off balance. “I’ve missed you too, Chase.”

  “There’s something I want you to know.”
He turned toward me in the vehicle.

  I shifted in my seat so I could see him better. “What’s that?”

  “I’ve been going to a therapist the past few months.”

  I squinted, unsure if I’d heard him correctly. “What? Really?”

  He glanced down at his hands before nodding. “Really. I know when we broke up, I said it was because I needed to deal with my brother and what happened to him. But I began to realize that I might not ever know what happened to him. I began to ask myself if I would be able to accept that.”

  “And?” I nearly held my breath as I waited for his response. This could be a major turning point in his emotional closure.

  “And my therapist has been working with me and helping me realize that I can’t change the past.”

  “What do you mean? What do you want to change?”

  Chase shrugged. “I didn’t realize the pressure I was putting on myself. The guilt I was bearing. I thought if I could find his killer that everything would right itself in my world. He’s made me realize that it’s not that simple.”

  “Life rarely is.”

  Chase glanced up at me, regret in his gaze. “I also came to realize what a mistake it was to let you walk away instead of fighting for our future together.”

  My heart skipped a beat. “Is that right?”

  “You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me, Holly. You make my world a better place. But I’m not sure you can say the same for me.”

  “Of course you made my life better. You make me feel safe, and you make me feel loved, and you accept me for who I am—even with all my quirks.”

  The corner of his lip curled. “You do have a lot of quirks.”

  Another moment of silence stretched. I knew there was something on my mind that I needed to tell him, despite the fear that made me want to remain quiet—to stay safe.

  “I officially called things off with Drew, Chase.”

  Something flashed in his eyes. “Did you?”

  “I’ve always known that the heart is deceitful. That all the advice you ever hear about following your heart is wrong. So I thought I should take it in the opposite direction and follow my head. But the truth is that intellect isn’t superior either.”

  Chase leaned closer. “Then what is?”

  “A mix of both. But mostly trying to follow God’s leading in your life. Sometimes it can be hard to separate all of those things.”

  “Tell me about it.” He let out a short laugh before reaching toward me, before skimming his thumb over my cheek. I closed my eyes and leaned into his touch, relishing it.

  “Holly, I—”

  But before he could finish his sentence, someone tapped on the window.

  Wilson.

  My heart sank. Our conversation would have to be continued later.

  Until then, I hoped Wilson had some good news to share with us.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chase rolled down his window, and we waited to hear what Wilson had to say.

  “This appears to be Tyler Billings’ house,” Wilson started. “And Tyler Billings appears to be just the person we’re looking for.”

  “Did you find anything inside?” Chase asked. “Anything that will give us a clue about what he’s planning? Where he is?”

  “We’re still combing through everything. We’ll also talk to the neighbors. But we did find two custom masks inside.”

  I swallowed hard, not missing the “s” at the end of that last word. “He has more than one of that doll face?”

  Wilson nodded and threw back a handful of Tic Tacs. “He does. In fact, the company said he ordered eight of them all together.”

  “Good to know.” That meant the man could still appear in my life again. That he could still terrorize me.

  Wilson pulled up something on his phone and showed me a picture of a man in his thirties with blond hair. He wore a suit and a bow tie. “Do you recognize this man?”

  I shook my head, hoping for a spark of familiarity, but there wasn’t any. “Not in the least.”

  Wilson nodded slowly before putting his phone away. “Okay.”

  “Do you know anything else about him?” Chase asked.

  “He’s an attorney. Seems well-respected in the area. I didn’t find anything suggestive or controversial in his background.”

  “Why would this guy target me?” I asked. “Am I just a random victim?”

  “That’s a great question,” Wilson said. “Are you random?”

  His question resonated in my head. Was I random? Or had I been chosen for some reason?

  I’d guess I’d been chosen. There’d been too much planning involved. But why? Why would this guy go through all this effort to make my life miserable? That’s what didn’t make sense.

  Had I done something to him? Was this revenge? Was this somehow connected with a past crime I’d helped to solve?

  My head pounded. Nothing was falling into place.

  * * *

  Back at the house, Chase and I excused ourselves to our separate bedrooms. We were both tired, and the news that this guy had gotten away did nothing for our spirits.

  But after lying in bed for thirty minutes, I couldn’t sleep at all.

  Finally, I threw my legs out of bed. Maybe some water would help.

  After tugging my robe on, I sneaked from the room, down the hall, and into the kitchen.

  I stopped in my tracks when I saw a shadow in the room.

  “Holly?”

  I released the air from my lungs. “Chase?”

  He stepped close enough that I could see him, despite the darkness around us. It was definitely Chase. He wore an old T-shirt and some shorts and held a glass in his hands.

  “What are you doing up?” I asked.

  “I was thirsty. And I couldn’t sleep.”

  “Me too. On both counts.”

  He handed me his glass. “Here. I’ll get another one.”

  As he stepped away, I took a sip. But, even after drinking it, part of me still didn’t feel satisfied.

  I remembered our earlier conversation in the car, the one that had been cut short when Wilson came to the window. What was Chase about to say? There was so much that still needed to be voiced aloud.

  If I were honest with myself, I’d admit that something had been stirring inside me over the past few days. Good or bad, it was the truth. I was going to have to figure out how to deal with that.

  I watched as Chase poured some water into a glass, took a drink, and placed his glass on the counter. A moment later, he sauntered back over to where I stood.

  As we faced each other, the darkness surrounding us, my heart beat out of control. I could tell that Chase was feeling the same things I was. The tension between us felt real enough to touch.

  The next moment, we were in each other’s arms. Chase gazed down at me, emotion welling in his eyes. He skimmed his fingers along my face, my neck, my lips.

  My throat burned at his closeness, as memories from the past filled my heart.

  Had I ever stopped loving Chase? I didn’t think so. And I probably never would.

  The next instant, his lips covered mine. Completely. Wholly. Without apology.

  I was swept away into another world—a world without problems and worries and fears. A world where all that mattered was this moment. Chase and me.

  Fire shot down my spine, the warmth sending delight through me. I’d missed this. I’d missed Chase. Missed the connection I felt with him.

  As he pulled back, his hands grasped both sides of my face and he stared into my eyes. “Holly, when I realized that something was wrong and that you were missing, I thought I was going to go crazy. I had no doubt in my mind at that moment that you were the only woman for me. That I didn’t want to go another day without you. That you were my soulmate.”

  Tears of joy pressed at my eyes. “Really?”

  “Really.” He smiled down at me, his gaze soft. “I love you, Holly Anna Paladin. I always have.”


  “Oh, Chase.” Air left my lungs in a whoosh. “I love you too.”

  Without saying anything else, his lips met mine again. Softly. Tenderly. But with growing passion.

  Chase finally pulled away and backed up a few steps. “We should probably call it a night.”

  He looked flushed, winded almost. In other words, he looked exactly how I felt.

  We both stepped back from each other, as if we didn’t trust ourselves.

  Good idea.

  “Yes, we should.” I ran a hand through my hair. “We’ll talk more. In the morning.”

  Chase nodded slowly, his gaze locked on mine. “That’s a great idea. In the morning.”

  With one last glance at him, I scurried down the hallway to my room.

  Chase and I . . . were we really an item again? Why did that thought both thrill me and scare me at the same time?

  Chapter Seventeen

  I tried not to look giddy as I stared at Chase over the breakfast table the next morning. Jamie had stopped by—she’d actually left her wallet here—and she’d ended up eating breakfast with us. I’d felt more like myself, and fixed a bacon and cheese quiche.

  My friend sat between us, and I noticed her gaze swinging back and forth from Chase to me, an eyebrow quirked.

  She clearly knew something was up.

  “Is there something you want to tell me?” she finally blurted. “Because you two keep giving each other googly eyes this morning.”

  “What?” I pushed my hair behind my ears and hid my smile. “No, we’re not.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Chase said at the same time.

  She let out a sassy um-hm and continued to eat her quiche—thankfully, I’d made a gluten-free version, so she could indulge with us. “It’s about time you two got back together.”

  “Who said we’re back together?” I asked, taking a sip of my coffee.

  “It’s obvious. It’s been obvious from the start that you two would end up together. I was just waiting for everything to play out in the good Lord’s timing. Can I get an amen?”