Web of Deceit

by Susan Sleeman

  She raised her back, throwing him off and rolling out from under him. He was too weak to stop her from standing, but thankfully, she remained lying there, staring at him, her lips puckered as she reached out to touch his shirt.

  She frowned. “It’s more than a scratch. Let me get something to apply pressure.”

  “No.” He clamped a hand on her wrist, but his strength was already receding and would do little to hold her here. “Rhodes wants to kill you, and I won’t risk you getting up.”

  “Murdock, report,” Officer Taylor said over the walkie-talkie.

  Sam bit down on his lips and crawled a few feet, pain burning through his body with every movement. The room swam before him. He blinked and breathed deep, then grabbed the comm device.

  “I should call 911,” Kait said, obviously not thinking clearly.

  “Your phone’s in the other room, and I have Taylor right outside.” He tried to lift the walkie-talkie, but it felt like a boulder sat on his arm, and he couldn’t manage it.

  She moved as if to stand.

  Too weak to stop her, Sam said, “Don’t get up. I can’t lose you, Kait. Not now. Not when I . . .” The strength to talk evaporated.

  She slid over to him and took his hand, her gaze hungrily seeking his. “Don’t worry, you won’t lose me. And before you pass out, get it through your thick head, Sam Murdock, I’m not letting you die either. You got that? You are not going to die today or any day soon.”

  Darkness circled his vision, and he knew he only had a moment before losing consciousness. He lifted his arm, painfully, slowly, the black cloak taking his vision nearly winning.

  “Officer down,” he said into his walkie-talkie and focused on Kait as he let the darkness claim him.

  WOW, MAN! THAT was something! Fierce. Intense. Fenton wanted to do it again, but he had to get out of there. He floored the gas and peeled out of Kait’s neighborhood.

  “Awesome ride, J.J.,” Fenton said, thankful the guy needed to prove his masculinity with a sports car.

  Fenton’s heart hammered against his chest, but he felt more alive than he had in years. Sure, taking lives with roc had been sweet, but besting a cop? A homicide detective at that? Well, that just proved who was superior, didn’t it?

  “I am.”

  Sirens cut through the quiet as a police car raced toward Kait’s house. Fenton slowed his ride. Wouldn’t due to draw attention to the flashy car. Another siren joined the fray. Then another. And another.

  Of course. He’d shot a cop. One of their own. They’d leave no stone unturned until they found him.

  Problem?

  Maybe, or maybe it was another chance to prove who was superior. Not that there was any question. He was the best. He’d come out of this just fine.

  THE SMELL, THE one of death, clung in the air at the hospital. So like the day they’d rushed Abby to the same ER. The family speeding here. Hope, though it was futile, had lingered in Kait’s brain. She’d arrived, held Lily, heard the doctor pronounce Abby dead. Not a surprise, but the finality of the pronouncement had taken Kait down.

  Now she hated hospitals, but so what? She might be uncomfortable here, but she wouldn’t leave Sam. Even though he’d made it through surgery and the doctor had said he’d recover. She’d stay by his side until all danger had passed.

  She went to his bed. Afraid to touch him. Afraid not to. “Sam,” she whispered. “I need to hear your voice. Just to be sure you’re okay.” She took his hand. “Please?”

  His eyes fluttered briefly before his lashes settled again. Not letting go of his hand, she took a seat. She could still feel his kiss on her lips. Feel her heart swell with happiness. For the briefest of moments, she’d dared to hope, to believe she could finally move ahead, let someone into her life. And now . . . now this? Him lying in bed, pale and clinging to life.

  Was she meant to live life alone? Was that what God wanted for her?

  Maybe she should back off now while she could—before she fully vested herself in this man. That was the wise thing to do. The sensible thing. So why didn’t she want to heed her own advice?

  He stirred and moaned, pulling his hand free. His eyes opened. He blinked hard a few times, then a weak smile played over his mouth.

  “Hey there,” he said so quietly she could barely hear him. His southern drawl was thick with sleep, bringing up thoughts of what it would feel like to wake up next to him every morning. That sweet smile the first thing she saw, followed by his honey voice warming her to the core. How amazing that would be.

  Could she really be happy in life? Let go of the fears and regrets to have it all?

  “Guess we both made it out okay,” he said.

  “Guess so.” She grabbed the container holding the slug removed from his chest and stood to show it to him. “And you even have a souvenir to prove it. Of course, Nina’s coming by to get it and lock it up in an evidence locker, but once Fenton’s behind bars and all the appeals are over, I’m guessing you’ll find a way to get hold of it.”

  “Kait,” he said.

  “Yes?”

  That smile returned again. “Mind giving me a kiss? Just so I know I’m really alive.”

  A kiss? She couldn’t kiss him. That would make him think after she responded so freely to his kiss at her house that she wanted a relationship with him. But she was far from making any commitment to him. At least, not now. There was still so much to do. To process.

  He frowned. “Is it too much to get a kiss? Just one.”

  She couldn’t deny him. Not when he was lying there so pale and helpless, all because he’d been drawn into the drama that was her life. She settled her lips on his for a chaste kiss and pulled back.

  “You call that a kiss?” His arm came around her back like an iron band. His strength took her by surprise, as did the passionate kiss that followed.

  He released her and sighed contentedly. “Oh, yeah, I’m alive, baby. So alive.”

  She wanted to feel alive, too. Really, she did. To experience everything she’d put on hold for her quest to find Fenton. Question was, did she want it badly enough to do something about it, or had the last three years of soul-crushing loss taken away her ability to embrace and enjoy life?

  HUMMING, FENTON parked in J.J.’s driveway. It had felt so satisfying to kill the cop. What was he going to do after Kait was dead? Would he still need that zing, that excitement, or would he finally be at peace? His revenge would be complete, and he’d have Lily. What more did he need?

  In the house, the sound of movement coming from the bedroom stopped him cold. He listened.

  Scratching, clawing, mixed with jingling.

  Was J.J. awake somehow, or was someone else here?

  He eased down the hallway and found the door locked just the way he’d left it. J.J. had to be awake. But how?

  Fenton opened the padlock and pushed open the door. J.J. looked up, his eyes alert, terror clinging in the depths. He jerked harder at his cuffs.

  “How did you wake up?” Fenton asked as he stepped into the room.

  J.J.’s eyes cut up to Fenton. He tried to talk, but the tube in his throat left only a gurgling sound

  Fenton tsked. “Don’t struggle. It will only make things worse.”

  He checked the infusion pump and found it malfunctioning. “Here’s the problem.” He peered at J.J. “Don’t worry. This won’t change your starring role at all.”

  As J.J. squirmed and bucked, Fenton retrieved a syringe from his bag, drew in a vial of rocuronium, and inserted it into the IV. He smiled down on J.J. whose facial muscles instantly relaxed. “There, that’s better, isn’t it? Stress isn’t good for you. Not now. Not when it’s near the end. In fact, why don’t I let the drug work into your system while I locate Kait?”

  Fenton sat in the desk chair and checked the G
PS for the detective’s cell phone. He cross-referenced the data with an Internet map, and confirmed they’d taken Murdock to the hospital. He had to assume Kait accompanied him. If Murdock was still alive, she’d be there. By his side. Fawning like a woman in love.

  That had to end. Now.

  He got comfortable in front of the computer and worked his way through the hospital’s firewalls.

  “How disappointing, J.J. Their security’s better than many institutions, but even you could hack it.” He sighed. “No one ever lives up to the challenge. It’s getting boring. I need something bigger. Better. A high-stakes target. Maybe the defense department. Wouldn’t that be fun once I’m settled with Lily?”

  “Let’s see, now.” He clicked through the records, soon locating Murdock’s file. “So he’s alive and the prognosis is a full recovery. That’s unfortunate.” Fenton made note of the detective’s room number, then looked at J.J. “You know, I thought this would make me mad, but I just don’t care. I’m so close to my goal. Plus, I have your starring role to look forward to.”

  He watched J.J., wishing he hadn’t drugged him. With J.J. awake and conscious, Fenton could see the man’s fear. Taste it. Revel in it. He supposed he could wait for the drug to wear off. But he had a timeline. And with Murdock in the hospital, it meant Kait would be there, too, and it would take more time get to her.

  “You know,” he said to J.J. “I’d have liked to see the detective die, but maybe his living is an unexpected bonus for both of us. I can give your special contribution to Kait while she’s at the hospital. What a rush it’ll be to move around unseen while she’s surrounded by all the cops who came to see Murdock. And it’ll get everyone talking about you. You’ll be famous.” He looked at J.J. “I know what you’re thinking. It’s a risk to show up there, but then, the biggest risks have the biggest payoffs. A quick change in my appearance, and I’ll blend in perfectly.”

  Pumped up, Fenton grabbed his reciprocating saw. He checked to be sure the blade was seated correctly, then squeezed the trigger. The powerful motor hummed in his hand as the blade sawed through the air.

  “Perfect,” he said, releasing the trigger and squatting next to J.J. “This ending will be just right, J.J. Just perfect. It’s time to say goodbye, my friend. Kait needs your gift.”

  SAM WATCHED Kait sleep in the recliner. Her head was tilted at an awkward angle, her breathing even and deep. He’d never seen the strong in-charge woman at rest. This Kait seemed approachable. Reachable.

  His for the asking.

  He imagined her waking up and stretching. Looking at him as she had before the gunfire, the interest mixed with surprise smoldering in her eyes. Not like the questions lurking there when he’d woken from the surgery. She was rethinking her willingness to open up. To get hurt again.

  Not him. Not any longer. His near brush with death took care of that. He didn’t even want to close his eyes again. He wanted to live. To simply live life to its fullest. She’d touched a part of him that he didn’t know existed anymore. A part that told him he could be the father Kait said he’d be. A part that made him feel. Deeply. Wonderfully. And he had to see where this thing with Kait took them—after they brought Rhodes in. Anything before that would go nowhere. She had to finish her mission first.

  Sam closed his eyes and concentrated on sleeping. He needed to gain his strength so tomorrow, he could be by her side again and track down Rhodes with renewed vengeance.

  FENTON PARKED in the hospital lot, adjusting the soft white cotton shirt of his EMT uniform, courtesy of a gig with a private ambulance company. After leaving the Navy, he’d given the job a chance for a full month, but really . . . no one could live on those wages. At least, no one who wanted to eat anything but macaroni and cheese and hot dogs. So, he’d quit. Kept the uniform, though, and it had come in handy several times. But tonight would be the crowning jewel.

  Expecting to see a parking lot full of cop cars and unmarked vehicles, he climbed out. Surprisingly, he spotted only civilian cars. Perhaps Murdock had only a few friends. Fenton certainly didn’t like him, if that was any indication.

  Fenton grabbed the box containing J.J.’s contribution and a disposable cell phone, then picked up the present he’d brought to ensure the nurse’s cooperation. He strolled across the empty lot. At this time of night, the building was nearly deserted, and he made it to the elevator without notice. Without human notice, but security cameras everywhere recorded his movements. At least he hoped they did, giving Murdock something to stew over when he discovered Lily and Kait were missing.

  He exited on the third floor and held up the box to be sure the camera captured it clearly. He marched down the hallway like he belonged. Not a single hospital employee questioned his presence. Just as he suspected, people were too wrapped up in their own lives to look beyond the surface, and the uniform ensured they’d pay him no notice.

  He found the detective’s door ajar and peered through the crack. He spotted Murdock soundly sleeping in his bed. Fenton should cross the room and smother the man. It would be simple. Lift the pillow and then . . . then Kait would wake up from the recliner and discover her lover gone.

  She stirred, and Fenton jumped back.

  Stick to the plan, man, stick to the plan.

  He backtracked down the hall to the nurses’ station. A tired, middle-aged nurse with frizzy hair and a round face looked up at his approach. He glanced at her nametag.

  “I’m so sorry to disturb you when you’re obviously busy, Laura,” he said working hard to be as charming as possible.

  She lifted a shoulder in an unenthusiastic shrug. “Hey, I work a skeleton crew on the graveyard shift just like you, so what can I expect?”

  He made sure to offer a conspiratorial smile as he set the box on the counter. “My friend is sitting with Detective Murdock tonight, and she forgot her phone. I don’t want to wake her, so I wondered if I could leave it with you. She’ll come get it from you when she wakes up.”

  Laura glanced suspiciously at the box.

  “I know, it’s kind of a big box for a phone, but I packed her favorite chocolates inside.” He reached under the box and pulled out a candy sampler. “Figured the hardworking nursing staff could use some, too.”

  “Be still my heart.” She smiled, revealing crooked teeth. “You’re not only good-looking, but you can read a woman’s mind, too. If I wasn’t married . . .”

  Gross. Don’t even put such a thought in my head.

  She took the candy and had ripped open the cellophane before he could speak. She stared at the treats. “What’s your friend’s name?”

  “Kaitlyn Knight.”

  She popped a caramel into her mouth, smacking her gums over the sticky concoction, and he wanted to strangle her. He fisted his hands and continued to smile.

  She grabbed a sticky note, slapped it on the box, and then scrawled out Kait’s name. “If she’s not up by the time my shift ends, you want me to deliver this to her?”

  “Yes, please, that would be so helpful,” Fenton gushed, though there was no need for Laura’s help. After the phone call he planned to make moments after taking Lily, Kait would be wide awake and seeking out the package. Of that, he was sure.

  Chapter Thirty-One

  SNICKERS OR Milky Way? Both bars perched in the hospital vending machine looked good to Kait. She hadn’t eaten anything except snacks in the war room, and either candy bar would do the trick. Snickers, she decided. It contained peanuts, and that meant protein. She inserted coins into the slot, and the bar dropped through the machine, the solid thunk reverberating through the silence of the patient waiting area.

  She bent to retrieve it and caught a look at her watch. 2:50, and they still hadn’t heard from World of Warcraft. Nina had received the warrant and passed it on to their night supervisor who promised to phone his manager at home and get back to them. That was
three hours ago, and still no word. Meanwhile, Fenton was getting away with almost killing Sam.

  She ripped open the wrapper and took a bite of the candy, the sugar instantly soothing her. They’d catch him. They had to. She couldn’t come this close to him for the second time in as many days and let him get away.

  Her phone vibrated in her pocket. Hoping it was Nina, Kait chomped another bite of the gooey goodness and dug it out. Not Nina or a number she recognized. Could be the WoW people, she supposed.

  “Kaitlyn Knight,” she answered eagerly.

  “I have her, Abby,” Fenton said, his voice lit with excitement. “Lily’s right here in my arms. We can finally be together again.”

  Abby?

  Did he think she was Abby? Did he really have Lily?

  No. No. Not likely. Not with the expert security team assigned to her. More likely Fenton was losing it. Still, a niggle of fear started in the pit of her stomach.

  “Abby,” he whispered. “Did you hear me?”

  “Yes,” Kait choked out the word, hating to impersonate her sister, yet knowing she needed to play along until she was sure he didn’t have Lily.

  “Will you come to me now so the three of us can be reunited at last?” His tone was sensual and repulsive.

  Her stomach contents curdled, and she tossed the candy bar in the trash. “Yes. Where are you?”

  “Daddy,” Lily’s sleepy voice sounded from the background.

  No! Oh, God no! Don’t let it be true.

  “Yes, baby,” Fenton all but cooed.

  “I want Nantie Kait,” Lily said.

  “You mean you want Mommy?” Fenton asked.

  “Mommy’s in heaven. I need Kait.”

  “Kait. Kait. Kait!” His volume rose with each utterance of her name. “It’s always about Kait.”

  She heard Lily whimper.