No. He couldn’t think that way. Just couldn’t. If he lost her—if Owen lost his mother—it would be too painful to bear.
Leah faded in and out of consciousness, her brain churning, grasping, trying to figure out where she was. What was happening. She heard music playing. It was “Never Let You Go,” Riley singing the chorus bold and strong.
Loving you. Holding you.
Never let it end.
Never let you go.
You and me, it will always be.
Riley? Was he here? Singing? She loved the timbre of his voice. Loved him.
A female voice broke into the song, taking Leah’s part. She knew that voice but couldn’t place it. She worked harder to wend her way out of the murky darkness and up to the surface. She blinked her eyelashes. Blinked again. She was in a chair on a stage. But where?
She turned her head to look. Dizziness bombarded her. She closed her eyes and waited. Opened them again and moved her head slower. A fraction of an inch at a time until she could see her surroundings better.
The floor was worn wood, the front of the stage round. Balconies on both sides were held up with white pillars, the paint peeling. She knew this place. Loved it. It was an old movie theater remodeled to be a concert hall, now closed and in disrepair. The place where she and Riley played their first real concert. The place where their manager discovered them. Where their future could have blossomed.
The song continued. Riley only. Comforting her.
A smile came as memories washed over her. Memories of the joy of harmonizing with him. Of putting herself into the lyrics. Open and vulnerable. Something she hadn’t done since they’d broken up. Sure, she put emotions into her songs, but they were never those emotions. Those were reserved for Riley.
The female voice came closer, the strum of a live guitar mixing with the recording behind her as the crescendo heightened the mood and the song raced toward the end.
No. Leah should be the one singing. Playing. She tried to turn her body, but she couldn’t. She was tied to the chair with thick ropes.
What in the world? Was she dreaming?
“So you’re awake.” The woman’s tone was ethereal and odd. She started singing again.
That was the voice Leah knew. It was Felicity. She was singing. Leah hadn’t heard her sing in many years.
Why now? Why here, and what was up with the ropes?
“What’s going on? Why am I tied up?” Leah asked when the song ended.
Felicity moved around front. She was holding Leah’s favorite guitar. A Martin that Riley had given to her when they’d first met. He’d bought the same model for himself, but his was black and hers was mahogany and Brazilian rosewood. She hadn’t used hers since they’d broken up and had stored it in her recording room at her house. She often wondered if Riley had kept his.
“How did you get my guitar?” she asked, still trying to clear the fog from her brain.
“It wasn’t hard to lift your key and have a copy made while you were rehearsing.” Felicity held her head high in a haughty pose.
“And Owen? How did you find out about him?”
“For someone with such a big secret to keep, you’re very careless with your phone.”
Her phone? What did that have to do with anything? “That’s not true. I guard it carefully and have a strong password.”
“Really?” She scoffed. “Do you hide your fingers when you enter the password? Do you take your phone onstage with you?”
“No, but it’s in my locked dressing room.”
“And who usually holds that key while you sing?”
“You, but I trusted you.”
“And I looked out for myself.”
Leah was so confused. “Why are you doing this?”
“The very fact that you have to ask should tell you everything.”
Leah couldn’t comprehend this. It was unfathomable. “I don’t understand. We’re friends. Sure, I didn’t tell you about Owen, but otherwise our relationship was perfect.”
Her eyes hardened into shards of granite. “Hah! Perfect for you maybe. Not for me. Never for me.”
“You’re unhappy?” Leah shook her head as she tried to understand. “But you never said anything.”
“Because what would have happened if I did? You’d move me to another job. Or let me go.”
“No. No, that wouldn’t have happened. I would have fixed things. You’re the very best assistant, and I know I told you that all the time.”
She got in Leah’s face, her sour coffee breath nauseating. “I. Don’t. Want. To. Be. Your. Assistant. I am the star. Not you. You are mediocre at best. I would shine. But you killed my chance to shine, didn’t you?”
This accusation was even more ridiculous. “What? When?”
“Wray Tipton heard me warming up the band for you earlier this month. He asked if I ever thought about performing. And what did you tell him?”
Leah had no idea what the record exec had to do with this, but she would play along to get the answer. “I told him exactly what you told me. That you quit performing years ago because you didn’t want to do it. That you still liked the music business, and that’s why you became my assistant.”
She jerked her head up and strummed an angry, harsh chord on the guitar. “I didn’t want to be a backup singer, hidden in your shadow. I was so over that. But a chance at being a headliner? I would’ve jumped at that, and you ruined it. You should have come to me and asked.”
“I’m sorry I messed up, but if you’d told me, I could have fixed it. I might still—”
“No!” she shouted with another strum of the strings. “I already tried. Called Wray. Told him I was interested. He said he’d already signed someone new and wanted to focus on them.” She got in Leah’s face again, an ugly sneer taking away her beauty. “You ruined my life. Now I’m ruining yours and you’re going to go to prison.”
“Prison?” Leah gaped at her for a moment as the implication registered. “Did you…please say you didn’t kill Jill and the others.”
She grinned, evil and sick.
Everything suddenly became clear to Leah and blood pounded in her ears. “You stole my jewelry. Wrote the letters. Sent the ticket. But the tattoos?”
“Did those, too. Wasn’t hard to learn to do such a simple design.”
“But why do them?”
“I wanted to make it clear that the murders were connected to you. And it pointed the police away from me. Because I mean, why would I do a romantic tattoo?”
Leah’s throat went dry. “So you abducted them all. Made them sit while you tattooed them. Then shot them in the back.”
“Jill was the best. I told her you made me do the tattoo, and you demanded she attend your concert afterwards. She stormed backstage and was all set to let you have it. Instead…” She shrugged. “Carolyn was easier because it was at her house. I didn’t have to come up with a story. Just let her think she was getting away and pumped two bullets in her back.”
Leah didn’t know what to say so she just stared. She recognized this woman standing before, her longtime friend, but the words coming from her mouth were unbelievable.
Felicity shook her head. “Don’t look so shocked. They both deserved it. You know they did.”
No one deserved that. Not even a cheater and a thief. “What about Helen? How could you hurt such an innocent woman?”
“Because. I had to make you pay.” Felicity stabbed Leah in the chest.
“By killing people in my life.” Leah glared at her. “That makes no sense.”
“It would have if Riley hadn’t butted in. The sheriff would already have you in jail, railroading you to a conviction.”
“This is unbelievable. They died because you want me to go to prison for murder.”
“My life working with you has been a prison for years. You deserved to know what that was like.”
“If you were so unhappy, why didn’t you leave?”
“And go where? Do what? I want to be a
superstar, and I thought my best chance of making that happen was with you. I may not have known your exact secret back then, but I did know you were hiding something. I knew it would be exposed, and once it was, I’d be there to go on stage for you. It was only natural with the band knowing me from when I sang during warm-up because you wanted to baby your precious little voice. Doing your songs better than you did. Not your backup singer. Not your assistant with a passable voice. But me. Felicity Ivan. The next star who would take over when you failed.”
Leah could barely believe all of this and had no idea what Felicity had planned now. “But you made a mistake, right? You took it too far by telling the press about Owen. It all backfired on you, didn’t it? And Riley will fight to the death to clear my name, so your plan won’t work. Not at all.”
She huffed out a long breath. “And that’s why we’re here. I’ve had to go to Plan B. You’ve written a lovely suicide note, and you will end it all here. Where it all began. You will take your own life using the gun that killed the others.”
“But you’ll be blamed. Devon told Riley you were picking me up. They’ll all know you lied.”
Felicity glared at her. “Don’t you know by now that I’m smarter than you? While you snoozed, I used my GPS to enter your home address and made a quick trip there to pretend to drop you off. Then you sent me a farewell email thanking me for picking you up from Devon’s place and taking you home. For being so wonderful to you all these years, and suggesting I be considered by the label for a record deal.”
She stopped to laugh in delight. “Then I told the GPS to go home and drove there as well just to be sure I covered my tracks. Once there, I opened your email, and since you told me you planned to end things here, I put this address in my GPS and hurried over here where I found you.”
Leah was shocked. Beyond shocked. Felicity had gone to unbelievable lengths to achieve her goal and if Leah didn’t come up with something, she would succeed.
She stood staring at Leah, her eyes a mixture of pride and elation, looking like she was mentally patting herself on the back. “I thought of everything. When the police arrive, I’ll be so distraught. Give the performance of my life. Tell them that, yes, I lied about Riley wanting me to pick you up because I knew you wouldn’t come with me otherwise, and I was desperate to make up with you. Then I’ll show anyone and everyone who matters in this business your recommendation and give them my demo. I will easily step into your shoes, and my career will begin at last.”
“That’s not how a star is born, Felicity. You know that. The record execs will think you’re tainted by your association with me. They won’t want to have anything to do with you.”
She strummed madly on the guitar and then looked up, her eyes wild, a bead of sweat slithering down her hairline. “It will work. I decree it.” Her smile was as cold as death.
Leah couldn’t believe what she was seeing. This woman wasn’t her assistant. She was a crazed psychopath, and she really would end Leah’s life. Just like she described.
22
Riley raced through Leah’s house. “Leah, are you here? Leah?”
He couldn’t control the desperation in his words, and he didn’t care if Alex knew the level of despair he’d sunk to. He could hardly think. It was sheer adrenaline that had him going right now.
“She’s not here,” Alex stated the obvious.
“Then let’s get out of here.” Riley shoved his gun in his holster, bolted for the car, and pointed the vehicle toward Felicity’s house. No need to go to the helipad as Lee had called to say they weren’t there. And Gage interrogated Kraig, but he didn’t have a clue about where Felicity might have taken Leah.
Riley tried desperately for about the thousandth time to figure out where she was. He caught a flash of metal ahead. Blinked hard. He was coming up too quickly on another car. He slammed on the brakes.
Alex pitched forward and planted a hand on the dash. “Hey, man. We can’t help Leah if you kill us on the road.”
“Sorry.” Riley swerved around the car and floored it again but kept his speed within reason for the traffic.
Alex sat back. “So you’re still in love with her then.”
Riley glanced at Alex, who for once wasn’t joking. If Riley admitted it, he wouldn’t be deemed objective, and Alex would insist on taking charge. Something Riley wouldn’t allow no matter what. But for some unfathomable reason, he felt like answering.
“Guess I am.” He took a quick look at Alex to gauge his reaction.
His expression didn’t change, but he shifted to face Riley. “What do you plan to do about it? Long-term, I mean.”
That was the question of the hour. Week. Maybe year. And Riley felt lightheaded over the implications it held. “Not much I can do.”
“Why not?”
“I’m not leaving Blackwell, and she doesn’t stay in one place for long.”
Alex watched him for a long time, his gaze as penetrating as a laser. “Ever think she might if you asked her?”
“No.”
“Maybe her being on the road isn’t as much about being a big star as it’s running from whatever happened between the two of you back in the day.”
“Nah,” Riley answered quickly, as he didn’t even need to think about that one. “You got that wrong. She never really cared about stardom, other than to show those who dissed her in her past that she’d amounted to something. She grew up dirt poor and craved the security that money provided. I would never make the kind of salary she needed, so she used her talent to find that security. With Carolyn’s embezzlement, Leah lost most of her money, and she’ll work hard to get it back.”
Alex frowned. “I don’t know, man. Sounds to me like the perfect time for you to step in and offer that security.”
“Right.” Riley rolled his eyes. “Like we’re getting rich on our salaries. I’m not complaining. Gage pays us very well, but it’s not superstar kind of money.”
“Not talking about money. I’m talking about security. You’re like the rock of the team. Solid and steady. That’s what she needs.”
Riley glanced at Alex again. “When did you get to be Dr. Phil?”
“Been around Hannah too much I guess.” He chuckled.
“I should probably be asking myself what Hannah would tell me to do.”
“Hey, man, I thought I was channeling her just fine.” Alex grinned.
Riley frowned. He felt like they were betraying Leah with this lighthearted banter when Felicity might be planning to harm her. Might have already hurt her. “You could be right. Could very well be right, but instead of thinking about this, I need to find Leah before something bad happens to her.”
Riley pressed the gas pedal and nearly sang out for joy when they reached Felicity’s house. Within seconds, he was out of the car and up the walkway. He wanted to kick in the door, but he had to determine if Leah was in danger first. He looked in the garage window. No car, but it was filled with stacks of bags, boxes, furniture, all piled high with narrow walkways between.
“Looks like she’s a hoarder,” Alex said from behind.
“I would never have expected this from Felicity. She seemed organized. Like a real neat freak.”
“Nothing neat about this space.” Alex moved back from the garage window. “No car. I doubt they’re here.”
Riley moved to the side window looking into the family room. More piles of stuff. “Seriously, she has a problem, but no sign of them. I say we go in and scout the place out.”
“Agreed.”
Riley went to the front door, kicked it in, and entered. The house smelled of rotting food, and there was only a narrow hallway between boxes, baskets, and furniture piled ceiling high in the rooms on both sides. He listened for a moment. Heard nothing. He crept down the narrow aisle, careful not to bump anything. If he disturbed one item, it could start an avalanche and bury them in a mound of trash.
He reached the kitchen area, which was actually pretty clear of debris except for dirty dish
es filling the sink and a meat wrapper laying on the countertop, the source of the bad smell he supposed. The kitchen was open to the family room where one chair, an end table, and a television sat among tall piles of trash.
He found his way to another hallway, and Alex followed. They passed two bedrooms he couldn’t even step foot inside and one bathroom. He opened the last door. The master bedroom. The space was clear of all debris and a neatly made queen-sized bed sat in the middle of the room. Three guitar cases were neatly lined up in one corner.
Riley glanced into the adjoining bathroom. “Clear.”
Alex went to the closet door and jerked it open. “Whoa. Look at this.”
Riley joined him. His mouth fell open, and he froze on the spot. The back wall was plastered with pictures of Leah, her face gouged out with a sharp object. Felicity also posted concert clippings and press releases where she crossed out Leah’s name and inserted her own.
“Man, this is freaky to look at,” Alex said. “Felicity wants to be Leah. Looks like we found her motive.”
Riley didn’t care about that right now. “Knowing her motive would be good, but knowing their location is what I need.”
“We should look for a computer.”
Riley spun and saw a laptop sitting on the nightstand. He ran across the room, passed the guitars, and sat on the bed to open the computer.
“Felicity’s a musician?” Alex asked.
“She was once one of Leah’s backup singers.”
“Why’d she quit?”
“She and Leah didn’t really say why.”
“Well, she must still value music. Otherwise these guitars would be buried in her junk.”
“Yeah, and if she wanted to become Leah, Felicity was likely keeping up on her skills in the event that a chance presented itself.”
“Or she made a chance present itself.”
Riley glanced up. “You mean like framing Leah for the murders or even leaking about Owen? Abducting her now?”
“All of the above.”
Riley turned his attention back to the computer and looked in Felicity’s email but found nothing of interest. He opened her Internet history. He pointed at Felicity’s search for information on Rose City Theater. “Look at this. It’s an old movie theater that was remodeled to be a concert hall. It closed years ago.”
Cold Fear Page 23