Web of Deceit

by Susan Sleeman

  Nina dug out her car keys. “You hold down the fort, Becca. I’ll go with Sam to Mason’s house.” Nina looked at Sam. “On the way, you can have uniforms dispatched to all three locations. Hopefully, these guys will still be alive and give us a lead on finding Kait.”

  KAIT WATCHED Fenton from under her lashes as the early morning sun cast the basement in hazy light. She rested her hand on Lily’s back, the child’s breathing offering some comfort while Kait feigned sleep for the last hour. It was the only thing she could think to do to keep Fenton’s lecherous hands off her, short of revealing her real identity and guaranteeing her death. A short-lived solution. Once awake, Lily would give Kait away. Still, this bought time for Becca and Nina to find her. If they were even looking. Or maybe Sam had woken up and discovered she’d disappeared.

  Lily stirred, sending Kait’s heart plummeting.

  “That’s it, baby girl,” Fenton cooed from the ottoman by the sofa. “It’s time to wake up. Then we’ll make breakfast and wake up Mommy. She loves breakfast. I’ll bet you do, too. Then this afternoon we’ll get in an airplane and go to our new house. You’ll love it. We can go hiking and exploring while Mommy stays home to bake her amazing candy apple pie.”

  Kait cringed at his deranged fantasy.

  “And you know what, baby girl?” he asked, moving closer to them. “I want us to have a brother or sister for you. Wouldn’t that be nice? Someone to play with.”

  Kait’s stomach roiled in revulsion. He’d put her in an impossible situation. Maybe that was his plan all along. So which did she do? Pretend to be her sister and let him paw her, or divulge her true identity and die?

  SAM WASN’T SURPRISED by Jason Mason’s office in the upscale area of northwest Portland. Nor was he surprised that the uniform had arrived to find Mason lifeless and bolted to the floor. They’d immediately phoned Marcie, and now she crouched by the body while Nina and Sam searched the room. But it was devoid of the usual office items and didn’t take long.

  “The same MO,” Sam mused

  “Except for the shards from the glass.” Nina eyed the floor around Mason. “Leaving a mess is totally out of character for Rhodes.”

  Sam studied the vivid orange remnants littering the floor. “He must have taken off in a hurry.”

  “Odd that he took the heart when he said the next one would be—” Nina clamped her hand over her mouth.

  “Would be Kait’s,” Sam finished for Nina, though he’d been trying to avoid thinking about the message they’d found at the gas station. “Which means it was this guy’s heart at the gas station.”

  “Any idea of the time of death?” Sam asked Marcie. “We believe Rhodes killed him around 5:30 yesterday afternoon.”

  Marcie shook her head. “He hasn’t been dead that long.”

  “You’re sure?”

  “Positive. Rigor’s set in his jaw, so I’d say between one and two a.m.”

  Nina stepped closer. “So if Mason isn’t the guy Rhodes killed after the WoW raid, who is?”

  Sam shrugged. “Maybe he moved out of sequence for some reason and it’s one of the other guys on the list.”

  “We have bruising,” Marcie announced from across the room, grabbing their attention.

  Sam and Nina crossed over to her. Nina bent down and turned Mason’s hand, exposing the deep purple bruises circling his wrist.

  Sam considered squatting next to them, but the pain in his chest kept him upright. “So Mason was awake at some point and struggled. Then Rhodes killed him and went where?”

  “Maybe he’s holed up with one of the other men on the WoW list,” Nina suggested.

  “If they’re alive.” Sam dug out his phone and called Vance. “We have any word from the uniforms yet?”

  “They just reported in. Found both men at home asleep.” Vance’s voice carried the same relief Sam felt.

  “Odd,” Sam said, and told Vance about Mason’s time of death.

  “Maybe he was just messing with us and didn’t kill anyone yesterday.”

  Sam thought about it. “Rhodes has done everything he’s committed to up to this point.” Which meant Kait was next. “The big question is, where is he now?”

  “Well, these guys claim they haven’t heard from him other than in online chats in the past. I had the uniforms bring them in for safety, and I’ll take a run at them in case they’re trying to mislead us.”

  “Not without me. I want a crack at them, too.” Sam hung up and turned to Nina. “Both guys are alive. Uniforms are bringing them in, and I plan to be there to question them.”

  “Then let’s go.”

  Stowing his phone, he felt like he was going to hurl. Maybe it was the pain meds wearing off. More likely, it was because Kait’s abduction confirmed he’d fallen for her. In a big way. Now, he might lose her.

  “Can you unlock the cuffs before you go?” Marcie asked.

  Gritting his teeth against the pain, Sam bent over Mason’s hand and clicked the lock. As he started to move away, he noticed letters scratched into the floor. He checked Mason’s fingers and found a small cut.

  “Check this out, Nina.” He pointed at the floor where the letters airp were scratched into the wood. “Looks like Mason used one of the shards to leave a message. Airport, maybe.”

  She squatted next to him. “Or Rhodes set this up to make us think he’s taking Lily and Kait to the airport.”

  “Mason has a cut on his index finger.” Sam picked up the blood-tipped shard. “If we had the time to wait for DNA results, I’m sure it would confirm this is Mason’s blood. Plus, it’s logical that Rhodes plans to leave town with Lily.” Sam wanted to say with Kait, too, but that didn’t seem likely.

  “His pilot buddy said he never flew commercially,” Nina said. “With the pilot in custody, Rhodes won’t be traveling with him.”

  “Okay, so what does that leave?” A million thoughts racing through his head, Sam stood, and filtered through them. “Rhodes can’t risk taking Lily through security. It’d have to be a chopper if he was taking her somewhere close by, or a chartered plane for a longer move.”

  Nina nodded. “Which means we’re talking the Hillsboro or Troutdale airports.”

  Feeling precious minutes tick by, Sam said, “We need information on flights scheduled today.”

  Nina dug her phone out. “I’ll get the team on it.”

  “You’ll need a warrant to obtain any meaningful information.”

  “Hey, relax.” Nina dialed. “I’m a fed, and you know feds can make anything happen.”

  Sam tried not to think about how long it had taken to get the information from the WoW warrant, focusing instead on the fact that, at times, feds could indeed work miracles. He hoped this was one of those times.

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  FENTON POPPED up the toaster, the frozen pancake a luscious golden brown. He took a long sniff of the sweet aroma that said home to him. Abby cooking. Him sitting at the table reading the latest news on his computer. Coffee gurgling in the pot. He’d waited so long to be with his family, and now, here they were. It was enough to make him giddy.

  He started humming, changing his tune when the Dora the Explorer theme played from the laptop Lily watched.

  D-d-d-Dora. D-d-d-Dora, the song raced through his head.

  How fun. He wanted to know a dozen or so of Lily’s favorite songs by the time they climbed on the plane this afternoon.

  He surveyed his little family. “Breakfast is ready.”

  “Yay, pancakes with Daddy.” Lily jumped to her feet. “C’mon, Nantie Kait.”

  Kait? How could Lily mistake her mother for Kait? Sure, they were identical twins, but they were nothing alike. Kait was mean and spiteful. Abby warm and loving.

  Should he correct Lily, or let it slide? Maybe he’d let it slide for now
. He could straighten things out after their special breakfast. He pulled out the chair by the pancakes for Lily, and Abby sat next to their daughter.

  He returned to the kitchen and plated the scrambled eggs. “Filled with cheese just as you like them, sweetheart.” He set them in front of Abby and ran a hand over her hair. She ducked away. “Something wrong?”

  Lily giggled. “Nantie Kait hates scrambled eggs. She likes pancakes. Just like me.”

  Fenton watched Lily for a moment. “You must not have gotten enough sleep, Lily. You keep confusing your mommy for your Aunt Kait.”

  Lily swallowed a bite of pancakes. “Mommy’s in heaven.” She shoved another bite in her mouth and chewed.

  Was Lily right? Was he losing it and this was Kait sitting in front of him?

  He blinked a few times then looked at her. “Aren’t you going to eat your eggs, Abby?”

  She took a bite and chewed woodenly, quickly washing it down with coffee. Abby would savor the eggs. Groan with pleasure over the way he’d prepared them with cheese, onions, and peppers, just as she liked.

  “Kait?” he asked.

  She cringed.

  “No!” He rushed around the table and tugged up the back of her shirt. No sexy little butterfly tattoo.

  “Your tattoo,” he demanded. “Where is it?”

  “I had it removed.”

  “Why?”

  She shrugged.

  “Why?” he screamed in her face.

  “I’m older. It’s not appropriate.”

  “Liar. Liar. Liar.” He grabbed her hair and forced her to look at him. “Abby would never get rid of the tattoo. It was my gift to her. Lily’s right. You’re Kait. Pretending to be Abby.”

  “No, Daddy!” Lily screamed. “Don’t hurt her.”

  “She’ll be fine.” He tugged harder on the thick mane of Kait’s hair.

  She winced. Good. Let her suffer. How dare she pretend to be Abby? How dare she? He eyed her, sending all the venom he felt through his gaze.

  Lily started crying, but he hadn’t a clue why.

  “Shh, sweetheart,” he said. “Everything will be fine.” At least, it would be once Kait was dead. He jerked her to her feet and dragged her down the hallway. He heard Lily’s continued sobs.

  “It’s okay, sweetheart,” he called over his shoulder. I’ll be right back.”

  After your devious, conniving Nantie Kait is in the shackles she deserves.

  SAM’S PAIN MEDS had worn off. Every step brought excruciating pain. So what? Pacing on the street in front of Mason’s house kept Sam sane as he waited for flight information. The airports were on opposite sides of the city. Heading to either of them without information would simply waste time. Precious time. So they waited. And waited, while Nina talked to Becca who researched chartered flights.

  “Nothing out of Troutdale today.” Nina shoved her phone in her pocket. “Two out of Hillsboro. One to Colorado in thirty minutes and one to Mexico in three hours.”

  “My money’s on Mexico.”

  “Mine, too. The plane was chartered by a Toby Bradley in Hillsboro. Becca didn’t have time to find a connection to Rhodes, but she did discover Bradley’s employed in information technology. She also located his home address. We can head to his house or the airport. Your call.”

  Sam looked at his watch. “We can’t make it in time for the Colorado flight. I’ll get uniforms to cover that one. And another unit to watch the Mexico flight.”

  “While we head to Toby Bradley’s house,” Nina said, already digging out her keys.

  “While we head to Toby Bradley’s house,” Sam echoed as he climbed into the car and prayed they were making the right decision.

  KAIT AWOKE AND instantly knew something was wrong. Though she’d been sleeping, her eyes were open, but her body was heavy. Grounded and unmovable.

  She couldn’t even move her eyes, but she heard Fenton’s voice as he sang to Lily in the other room. Then she heard it. The telltale draw and whoosh of the ventilator, and her memory flooded back. She remembered Fenton dragging her into this room. She’d seen the bolts secured in the concrete, the handcuffs open and waiting. She’d fought hard, but he was strong. Crazy strong, and then he stabbed a needle into her arm, and she’d collapsed.

  Oh, no. No. No. No.

  It was true. She was paralyzed. Like Congdon and Youngblood, and she couldn’t move. Not her legs or hands, not even an eyelash or a finger.

  She strained harder. Nothing.

  She could feel the cold from the floor seeping into her legs, but she couldn’t budge a finger. Not even a fraction of an inch. And that meant she couldn’t help Lily. Panic swept through her.

  God, no, she prayed, her mind whirling with fear. Please, no. Anything but this.

  LILY DOZED OFF in front of the TV, and Fenton checked his watch. Perfect timing. Kait should be coming out from under the roc and they needed to head to the airport. He kissed Lily’s cheek, and watched his precious baby for a few moments. He’d done it. Rescued his daughter. Now he’d deal with Kait.

  He went to the corner bedroom and paused in the doorway. “Hello, Kait.”

  She turned her head and stared at him.

  “Glad to see the roc has worn off. Now let me remove the tube so we can get out of here.” He thought he saw a flash of relief in her eyes as he squatted next to her.

  Good. Let her think he’d changed his mind. It would be all the better when he put her back under and actually took her life. After a few weeks—maybe months—of the same agonizing, mentally taxing suffering she’d made him go through.

  “Don’t fight me now, Kait, or it will go badly for you. When I start to remove the tube, give one big breath, and we’ll have it out.” He pulled the tape free, and then deflated the cuff. “Ready?”

  She blinked long, luscious eyelashes like Abby’s.

  Not Abby, Kait. Focus now and keep it together. You’re almost there.

  “Okay, here we go.” He slipped the tube out as her gag reflex kicked in. “Take a few deep breaths and cough. It will help.”

  She coughed a few times and cleared her throat. She swallowed hard and grimaced. Her throat must feel like swallowing pins and needles. A sip of water would help. Too bad. No water for her. He didn’t want her comfortable. He wanted her on edge. Fearful. Begging for her life. He could barely wait until they were settled in Mexico and he had her back in the cuffs.

  Not wanting to lose her now, he watched her chest rise and fall. Once satisfied she’d be okay, he crossed the room to the bag he’d taken from the trunk of her car at the hospital and dug out one of her Kevlar vests. He put one on and dropped the other one at her feet. Keeping a gun trained on her, he unlocked the cuffs from the bolts, but left one dangling from her left wrist. “Put on the vest.”

  Her shoulders went up, her chin out. “And if I don’t?” she croaked out.

  That’s it. Fight. It’s so much better for me when you fight. “Then my precious little Lily will have to see me kill you, and we both know what kind of scars that will leave.”

  “Fine.” She shrugged into the vest, settling it over her wrinkled blouse.

  He was disappointed she gave in so easily. He locked the handcuff to the bolt. She stared at him, defiance on her face. He wanted to slap it away, but their pilot might ask about the bruise.

  He stood and glared down on her. “I’ll just get Lily into her car seat, and then I’ll be back for you.”

  “Wait,” she said as if trying to buy time. “Why the vest?”

  “I doubt that your cop friend or agent clones have any idea of my plan, but just in case, I don’t want a stray bullet to take you out.”

  “I’d think that’s precisely what you would like.”

  “Oh, no, Kait.” He met her gaze, putting his hatred for her
in his eyes. “Trust me when I say, you will not die that easily or peacefully. Your little episode in the cuffs was just a preview of what’s to come.”

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  SAM AND NINA advanced on the white Camry parked in Bradley’s driveway. Sam had called dispatch when they’d arrived and confirmed it was a rental. Made no sense that Bradley would rent a car when he owned a late model SUV, but it was logical that Rhodes had done so to keep them from following his trail. Becca was working on finding out who’d rented it, but that would take time Kait and Lily might not have.

  Armed with Nina’s backup gun, Sam eased up on the passenger side and stopped in surprise. “It’s Lily,” he whispered to Nina. “She’s asleep in her car seat.”

  Sam felt the hood. “Car’s cold. So they didn’t just arrive.”

  “Then they’re on their way out.”

  Sam tried the door and found it unlocked. “Cover me while I get Lily out.” Sam shoved the gun into his waistband and crawled in. As he removed her shoulder straps, she woke up. “Hey, sweetie.”

  “I have a daddy,” she announced.

  “I know.”

  “He’s helping Nantie Kait. In the basement. We’re going to the airport.”

  “Sounds fun,” he lied. “But first, Nina and I have something to show you.”

  She scrunched her forehead, but she didn’t question him as he lifted her out of the seat. Once free of the car, he and Nina ran toward her vehicle parked down the street.

  “Take her while I go find Kait.” Sam passed Lily to Nina. “Call for backup.”

  “Wait for them, Sam,” she urged. “You can’t go into the basement. Rhodes will feel trapped, and then what?”

  Sam looked back at the expensive two-story house in the luxurious subdivision. Manicured lawns filled with flowering perennials seemed to belie the fact that Rhodes held Kait hostage inside. As Sam watched, the front door opened, and Rhodes stepped out, pulling Kait behind by a pair of handcuffs. Thrilled that she was alive, Sam ran his eyes over her to assess her condition. She looked tired, but she held her shoulders high beneath a Kevlar vest. Odd. If Rhodes intended to kill her, why put her in the vest?