Tingle (Revenge Book 2)

by Burns,Trevion

  His breathing became heavier with every word unspoken, and Veda had the keen sense an explosion was on the horizon.

  When he lifted his brown eyes to hers, they were saturated with defeat.

  Veda wanted to explain why her hands had been in Linc’s, but she knew she couldn’t. She wanted to say anything to fill that horrible silence, but she knew anything she said would have to be a lie.

  And she couldn’t lie to him anymore.

  So, instead, she said what was in her heart. Her voice trembled. “You swore you’d never quit me.”

  His jaw tightened, as well as his eyes. “Trust me, Veda. When I quit you? You’ll know it.”

  Her heart clenched.

  When?

  Not if?

  So he was planning on quitting her?

  Tears stung her eyes.

  His deep voice crossed the room again, mixing with his scent, and nearly debilitated her. “I want the truth.”

  Veda ran her hand over her tight bun, feeling her hairline sweat.

  His voice rose. “I want the truth about where the hell you were that night, or you’ll find out what it truly looks like when I quit you. When I stop trying for good.”

  He paused, giving her a moment to answer.

  Veda swallowed the lump in her throat.

  “Gage, I—” She gasped when the pager on her hip vibrated, followed by a continuous beep filling the air.

  A frown swallowed up Gage’s face at the sound, and he licked his teeth while looking away.

  Veda checked her beeper and then looked back up at him, eyes begging. “Baby, I’m sorry…”

  He kept his eyes on the window on the other side of his office, running a hand down his jaw. His fingers trembled.

  “I’m late for a heart transplant. I have to go.” Veda waited for a response. Any response. The heat of his angry eyes, the line of his tightened lips, the bass of his voice—even if it was laced with irritation.

  But nothing came.

  Both relieved and terrified, Veda turned towards the door, pulled it open and broke into a run, racing into the hallway.

  13

  Veda rolled a grape lollipop between her lips while adjusting the police chain around her neck, wondering how Lincoln Hill could stand the way the jagged edge on the back of the chain nipped at the neck. Maybe he enjoyed the bite because it distracted him from his thoughts. The same way it was distracting her from hers.

  After narrowly escaping a blow-up—and what had felt heart-churningly close to a break-up—with Gage, Veda had been happy to leave the hospital for her lunch break to finish what she’d started. The sooner she helped Luke, the sooner she could focus on Eugene.

  Even with Gage angry at her, even with Linc on her trail, even with what felt like the entire world against her, Eugene would pay the price.

  They all would.

  But, first, she needed to find out the truth about Eugene’s involvement with Luke’s missing sister. If she couldn’t save Gage from inhaling her darkness—and the sad state he’d been in in his office proved it was happening fast—at least she could try to save Luke.

  “I expedite meetings between consenting adults.” Madame Nikki’s patent leather heels clicked on the wood floors of her office, located at the top of the hill. The white paint covering the exposed brick was peeling away, revealing it’s original adobe color. The rest of the office was equally tattered and in desperate need of repair. Music from the streets of the hill—honking horns, laughing kids and the occasional gunshot—rang through the rickety old windows, which trembled every time the slightest breeze came through, making Veda worry they might fall right out of the hinges. “Innocent meetings,” Nikki continued, hips swishing in her tight red maxi dress as she moved. “Nothing more, nothing less. All legal.”

  She led Veda into a room with a desk and a living area. Circling the desk, she pressed her four-inch nails on top of it.

  Veda followed her to the desk, holding up a photo of Greta Greer that she’d printed from the Internet. The photo—an ad that had been run in the newspaper—showcased Greta in a schoolgirl outfit. Her butt faced the camera, cheeks peeking out of her short skirt and thigh high socks. She smiled over her shoulder. One look at that photo left no question she was under-aged.

  “Was this ten-year-old girl one of your consenting adults?” Veda asked.

  Nikki rolled her brown eyes, tossing her jet-black hair over one shoulder while motioning to the photo, smacking the gum in her mouth. The Russian accent she’d been fighting back came through. “This case was closed and expunged years ago. I already spoke to the police about this. Like I said, I expedite meetings. That is all. If Greta Greer took any of those meetings to an inappropriate level, that was her choice, not mine. Besides, the ID she gave me said she was 19. Not my fault.” She sliced her hand through the air.

  Once upon a time, Veda had been convinced there was nothing she hated more than a woman who worked against other women, but to see a woman who didn’t just work against women—but innocent little girls—made her feel homicidal.

  “I need to know about the man you…” Veda made finger quotes. “ ‘Expedited her meeting’ with the day she went missing.”

  Nikki sighed in disgust. Clearly ready to get Veda out of her hair by any means necessary, she went to her computer, claw nails clicking on the keyboard for dear life. “It was his first visit. Paid cash. Gave me the name ‘Octo’.”

  “Octo.” Veda scrunched her eyebrows. “And when ‘Octo’ set up a ‘meeting’ with Greta, was it his first and only visit under that name?”

  Nikki made an annoyed sound and stabbed at the keys again. “He contacted us one other time. Two days ago.”

  Veda’s heart zoomed to a stop. “Two days ago?”

  A deep sigh. “Yes.”

  Veda’s heart leaped to her throat. “The girl who went missing two days ago…. Zena Jones?”

  “What about her?” Nikki shifted, and a new wobble had entered her voice as she answered. “Sweetheart, welcome to the hill. A new girl goes missing here every other day.”

  “And was Zena one of your girls?”

  Nikki’s eyes narrowed.

  “Did Zena advertise her…” Veda made finger quotes again. “ ‘Meetings’ with your agency, as well?” Veda already knew the answers to her questions, and it took everything she had not to leap across the desk and claw her eyes out. She jabbed her finger at the computer. “I’m gonna need to see Octo’s contact information.”

  “And I’m gonna need to see a warrant,” Nikki spat, pushing off the desk and crossing her arms. “Listen, I’ve cooperated with you. I’ve been cordial. Polite. I’ve allowed you to come to my office and harass me without a warrant, but I won’t allow you to harass my clients as well. That’s where I draw the line.” She sliced her hand through the air and cringed at the badge hanging from Veda’s neck. “In fact, what is your badge number?”

  Veda stumbled backward, clapping her hand over the badge.

  Nikki seemed to notice her sudden change in body language, pointing at her. “Why have I never seen you around here before?”

  “I’ve got everything I need,” Veda spoke hurriedly, turning and moving towards the door. “Thanks a lot.”

  She raced out, even as Madame Nikki screamed after her.

  Veda rarely wished ill on any human being outside of the ten assholes she was after.

  But she really hoped, one day, that Madame Nikki took a flying leap off the highest bridge on earth…

  Into a lake comprised entirely of diarrhea shit.

  —

  In the days that went by, Veda found it harder and harder to fight the shadows enslaving her heart. Still on the outs with her boyfriend—who she wasn’t even sure she could call her boyfriend anymore since he was now ignoring her calls and texts—there was no escape. She didn’t have Gage to curl up behind her in bed and cocoon her in his arms, the comfort of his embrace helping fight the shadows away.

  She couldn’t even fight the
shadows by finishing what she’d started and exacting revenge on Eugene. Lincoln Hill was sniffing way too close to home, forcing her to lay low—at least for a little while.

  Even worse, she’d dragged two innocent people, Jake and Luke, into her problems. Jake especially. Now, if the police ever caught her, they’d be forced to look to him as well. If they found her out, surely they’d have questions about why Jake had handed over an itemized list with wildly inaccurate, altered information next to Veda’s name. Jake wouldn’t just lose his job, but probably his freedom, as well.

  Veda felt sick at the thought.

  When she’d returned to Shadow Rock, she’d made peace with the risk she was taking. She’d made peace with the fact that her life might be destroyed in her dangerous quest. But she’d never planned on taking anyone else down with her. Now, it seemed, destroying the people around her was inevitable.

  Gage, Jake, Luke. Summer hadn’t yet come to a close on Shadow Rock, and she’d already hurt three people who had nothing to do with her demons. Nothing to do with her problems.

  It made her feel contagious. Like a highly communicable, diseased woman, bound to infect anyone who came within a few feet of her.

  She wondered if she should let Gage go… if only to save him from catching her sickness.

  If he hadn’t caught it already.

  She tried to steady her breathing past her terrifying thoughts, but couldn’t. Not even when those breaths moved to gasps as she slammed her boxing gloves into the heavy bag before her. Since returning to Shadow Rock, she’d learned a lot from Linc—even if he hadn’t intended it.

  More than anything, she’d learned the magic of a punching bag, and it’s ability to make everything fall away.

  And Veda needed a moment. She needed a moment away from the guilt. A moment away from the bomb she’d been hit with at Madame Nikki’s office days earlier. She needed a moment away from the fact that ‘Octo’, the man who’d bought time with Luke’s sister, was more than likely the same man who’d bought time with Zena Jones, who was still missing.

  Veda had anonymously called in the ‘Octo’ tip to the missing person number plastered all over Zena’s posters and was more infuriated every day she turned on the TV and saw nothing had been done about it.

  She knew, in her heart of hearts, nothing would ever be done.

  The elite on Shadow Rock would get away with Zena’s disappearance, just like they’d gotten away with Greta’s.

  If Veda wasn’t the woman she was, that fact could easily drive her crazy.

  But Veda wasn’t just any woman. And she had no plans of letting them get away.

  One by one, they would all pay the price.

  She might’ve been lying low now, but the moment Lincoln Hill eased up, she’d be back on Eugene like white on rice. She couldn’t wait to see the joy leave his eyes when she finally finished what she’d started. She hoped it destroyed his soul just as thoroughly as it had Todd Lockwood’s—who was still in hiding over a month after she’d given him his just desserts.

  She didn’t even realize how hard she’d been going at that punching bag. Her fists slammed into it with the same severity Eugene’s disgusting face was slamming through her mind.

  The sound of a deep voice from the other end of the boxing room shook her out of her thoughts.

  Chest heaving from her exertion, her fists froze in mid-punch, and she shot a look at the door.

  Lincoln Hill lingered at the door as it swung shut, appearing in the middle of removing his duffle bag from his shoulder, but stalling the moment her eyes met his across the room.

  He froze.

  Veda’s eyes widened. Her stomach hit the floor. She held her breath.

  He was here to arrest her. Refusing to be foiled by her zebra print manicure, he’d doubled down on his investigation and found another line of evidence that proved she was guilty. She hadn’t seen him in the gym in ages. Surely he was only here now to slap her wrist with cuffs.

  Silence.

  Across the room, the edges of his full lips curled up softly.

  Veda sputtered.

  Was he smiling?

  At her?

  On purpose?

  She had half a mind to check his forehead to make sure he wasn’t running a fever. Maybe he was the kind of detective that only smiled once he’d closed the case. Maybe the visual of her dropping the soap in the prison showers was bringing a joy to his heart that made it impossible not to smile.

  Her stunned reaction to his pleasantry sent his eyes shooting away, and he peered through the glass that separated the boxing room from the rest of the gym. He dropped his duffle bag to the floor.

  Veda followed his eyes to the glass wall, to the main area of the gym. Not because she was curious about what he was looking at, but because she wanted to make sure none of Gage’s friends and family were there.

  Gage wasn’t even answering her calls right now. If he found out Veda had been alone with Linc at the gym, their relationship would be over. She had no doubt in her mind.

  That fact actually made her move away, over to a different bag, one that was tucked in the far corner of the room, hidden away from the glass enclosure.

  No one could see her there.

  Even though he hadn’t been back to the gym in a while, she waited for Linc to choose the only punching bag he’d ever used. The red bag on the opposite side of the room, several feet away from hers.

  But he moved past that red bag.

  Instead, he chose the bag next to hers, his green eyes locked to her brown.

  Veda’s chest expanded, and she found herself hugging her own punching bag.

  His eyes went to her arms as she embraced the thick padding, his marred eyebrow lifting in amusement. He faced her. Searching her eyes, he began encircling his hands with the white boxing wraps he’d carried across the room with him.

  “Haven’t seen you around these parts in weeks,” she said. “What made you come back?”

  He licked his lips. His eyes fell to her sports bra, down her black tights, lingering on her sneakers before climbing slowly back up. He didn’t answer.

  As always, Veda found it impossible to bite her tongue. “Have you looked into that kid who charged into Eugene’s hospital room?”

  Linc’s eyes slammed closed, but even as he tried to show disapproval, a smile broke free. “Wow.”

  “Wow what?”

  “You’re the most hard-headed human being I’ve ever met in my life, that’s what. Should’ve brought an application down here for you.”

  “So you knew I’d be here?”

  He cocked his head back softly. His cheeks began to redden, but something inside him fought it back.

  But Veda caught his blush. “How could you witness that exchange in Eugene’s room and not do something about it?” Why did I have to steal your badge and do it for you? She bit her tongue before she spoke her thoughts out loud.

  She saw the exact moment when Linc seemed to regret making the decision to come down to the gym. The muscle in his jaw rolled as if he were wondering to himself what had prompted him to make such a foolish choice.

  Regardless… he didn’t go to leave.

  “I ran the plates.” He let his arms fall to his sides after he finished wrapping his hands and wrists. “And the moment I did, my boss got up my ass about trying to make Eugene a suspect, and not a victim.”

  “He is a suspect.” Veda shoved her punching bag with all her might.

  His brows jumped when the bag barely moved, eyes lighting up.

  “Damn it, Linc, you really should bring me an application because you are absolutely failing. You are failing epically.”

  Linc pointed all five fingers at her, arrow straight. “I don’t tell you how to do your job.”

  “Then you’ll have to find it in your heart to forgive me for telling you how to do yours.” Her chest heaved. “I knew you’d drop the ball on Luke Greer. Just like you dropped the ball on Sarah Adams.”

  “Luke Gr…?�
�� Linc faltered, eyes widening. “How the hell do you know his name?”

  She straightened. “I saw the bumper sticker on the back of his car. He played point guard for Shadow Rock High a few years back. A quick Facebook search gave me his name, and I got his address from the hospital database.”

  Linc pinched his nose, chuckling. “I don’t even know where to begin...”

  “That’s fine because I’m not finished.” Veda felt her voice trembling. “Since I knew you’d drop the ball, I took it upon myself to visit Luke. He told me that Eugene kidnapped his sister, six years ago, and the police closed the case.”

  “Try not to forget you’re speaking to a cop.”

  “Am I?” she asked. “Because I thought a cop would be the one running all over town trying to help Luke, but no.” She jabbed a finger into her chest. “That was me. Because I’m not already swamped enough at my own job. I’m not already hanging on by a thread trying to finish the first year of my own residency. No. I’ve got plenty of time to visit some kid whose sister got snatched. I’ve got plenty of time to visit the madame who sold her the day she vanished. I’ve got plenty of time to find out that the alias used to buy her, Octo, is Latin for the number eight—the same number on Eugene Masterson’s jersey during all four years he played ball for Shadow Rock High School. The same number tattooed on his wrist. But I’m sure that’s all just a coincidence, right?” Even as she saw horror crossing Lincoln’s face, she was distantly aware that shutting up was probably a good idea, but she couldn’t. “I’ve got plenty of time, Linc, to find out that Eugene used that same alias, Octo, to buy time with Zena Jones, the girl who just went missing. That both Greta and Zena were running escort ads with the same agency—with Madame Nikki—before they disappeared. Both under-aged. Both from the hill.”

  Linc’s nostril’s flared. His jaw tightened, as well as his massive arms. His face went alight with rage. He always looked like a lion ready to pounce, but never so ferociously as he did right then.

  Veda gasped when her arm was suddenly locked under the hold of his big hand and, in the next instant, he was dragging her across the empty room. She stumbled over her feet, bumbling and attempting to recover as he pulled her into the far corner. She nestled herself into that corner when he released her, both alarmed and comforted at the feel of being trapped between him and that crook in the wall.