by L. P. Dover
“No,” I blurted with a laugh. “Are you sure he’d want to work with me? We’ve never really spoken to each other.”
He nodded. “I know, but it was his idea to take you on. I thought I’d ask first, to see if you were interested. The money would be the same. He thought you two could get to know each other better when he arrives.”
“Is he coming to Charleston?”
Glenn’s phone rang and he looked down at the screen before shutting off the sound. “He’ll be here tomorrow morning,” he said, lifting his gaze to mine.
“All right, I can do it,” I answered. “I’m always up for a challenge.”
He smiled. “You’ll do fine. Once he gets to know you, he won’t be so . . . uptight.”
“Glad to hear it.”
He started to take a step back and stopped. “There’s something else I wanted to tell you. I’m hosting a dinner tomorrow night and I need you to be here. Wade will be joining us, but I have another guest who’ll be arriving in town later tonight as well.”
“Okay,” I said with a nod. “Is there anything you need me to plan for the dinner?”
He shook his head and walked to the door. “Mrs. Walker has it handled. I do, however, need you to find a nice dress to wear. You can charge it to the company card. The Mercedes is in the garage if you want to take it.” He paused at the door and glanced at me over his shoulder. “Oh, and I won’t be around this evening, but Mrs. Walker will cook your dinner when you’re ready.”
“Thank you.” I waved as he walked out the door and shut it behind him.
It wasn’t the first time I had to buy an evening gown for one of his formal events, or even drive one of his expensive cars. My biggest fear was wrecking one of them, but he didn’t seem to care. Fifty thousand dollars to him was like pocket change. My family hadn’t had a lot of money when I was growing up, so it was strange experiencing how the other half lived.
Working for Chandler Enterprises wasn’t exactly what I thought I’d do with my college degree. After graduating with a BA in creative writing, I’d moved back to Charlotte and held a job at the local newspaper. I’d done that for five years, until out of nowhere, the infamous Glenn Chandler approached me as I walked out of the office one day. He offered me three times as much to work as his assistant and write his business proposals. I couldn’t pass it up.
Grabbing my brush, I ran it through my long, blonde hair before pulling it into a ponytail. It was time to shop for my dress. Mrs. Walker was in the kitchen cleaning off the counters when I entered. She was a middle-aged woman with shoulder-length, brown hair and a kind smile. Since Glenn hadn’t needed my assistance as of late, I’d been helping her in the kitchen from time to time.
“Do you need anything while I’m out?” I asked her.
She looked over at me and smiled, tossing her dishrag in the sink. “No, I’m good, sweetheart. I went to the grocery store this morning.”
“Okay. I’ll be back this afternoon and I can help you with dinner. We should eat together, since Glenn will be gone.”
Her face brightened. “I’d like that. My husband has to work late anyway. We can eat out on the terrace.”
“I look forward to it.” I waved goodbye and walked into the garage, where the sleek, black Mercedes sat. I cranked it up and started on my way to downtown Charleston. King Street was the place to go, so I parked in one of the first places I could find and hopped out of the car. Before I could even shut the door, my phone rang.
“Hey, Mom,” I answered.
“Hey, baby. How are you?”
Shutting the car door, I locked it and hurried across the street. “Good. Just out trying to find a dress for a dinner tomorrow night.”
“That sounds nice. You still liking your job?”
I laughed. “Can’t complain. I’m making more money than I would anywhere else. Besides, I’ve basically had the whole week off, with pay. It’s nice to sit on the beach and write.” My mom cleared her throat nervously. “What is it?”
“You aren’t—you’re not sleeping with him are you?” she asked, her voice low.
I burst out laughing. “Oh my God, I can’t believe you asked that. No, I’m not sleeping with him. Eww . . . he’s like a father figure to me. It’s not like that, I promise.”
“Okay, just making sure. It’s been weighing on my mind for a while now.”
“You have nothing to worry about. However, when he retires, I’ll be working for his son. Now that will be interesting.”
“Oh,” she said, drawing out the word. “Yes, it will. He’s an attractive man.”
“With zero personality. Trust me, there’ll be no mixing business with pleasure. He’s coming down to Charleston tomorrow. Glenn wants us to get to know each other, since we’ll be working together in the near future.”
“Just be careful. The Chandler men strike me as the kind of guys who get what they want. Don’t let them run all over you.”
I shook my head and smiled. Glenn and Wade had always treated me with respect. “I won’t, Momma. Is that all you called to say?”
She sighed. “No, it’s not. I wanted to tell you to be careful down there.”
“What do you mean?”
“I was walking by the break room and saw the news. A lot of the nurses were talking about a young woman around your age who was found murdered on the beach. As of right now, they don’t have any leads, which means the killer’s still out there. Don’t go walking around at night by yourself.”
Chills ran up my spine. “Did they say where she was found, or how she was killed?” I loved walking on the beach at night.
“They haven’t announced the details, but she was found not far from where you’re staying. I just want you to be safe.”
“I will, Mom. I’m almost always with Glenn, so nobody’s going to get to me.”
“All right, baby. I love you. Make sure to call your father when you get a chance. You know how he likes to hear from you when you’re away.”
We said our goodbyes and I walked into the boutique. My safe haven no longer felt safe.
Preston
What the hell was I doing back in Charleston? It was a huge goddamn mistake. If Glenn wanted to wrangle me in, he’d fucked up. If anything, being back made everything worse. I had no intention of facing my father, not until the man who screwed up our lives was dead. All I wanted was for the guilt to go away. No matter how many rapists and child molesters I killed, nothing worked.
My sister, Cameron, had been killed by strangulation just outside of our house on the beach, while my mother died inside. There was a struggle, but she tried her best to protect my sister, only to die from a blunt head trauma. If my father and I had been home, there’s a chance they could’ve survived. Instead, they died alone and afraid. The thought sickened me to the core.
Glenn was parked in the Sea Dunes motel parking lot, his stare never wavering from mine when I pulled in beside him. He waved me over, so I got out of my car and joined him in the backseat while his driver stood outside. It’d been almost a year since I’d seen him last.
“You look terrible,” he said, pursing his lips.
“I’m sure you would too if you drove all fucking day without stopping,” I snapped.
“That’s why you’re going to stay at my house while you’re in town. The pool house is all ready for you. And once we’re done in Charleston, you’re going to work for me in Charlotte. It’s about time you do something with your life besides killing people.”
I was about to blast off, but he held up his hand.
“Don’t even think about arguing with me. I know you don’t want to be here, but there’s no other choice. You’re the only one who can help.”
I huffed. “How’s that? I haven’t been in this town for years.”
“You’re right. But I’m hoping after you see this, it’ll spark your interest.” There was a folder in the seat pocket in front of him. He pulled it out and handed it to me. “Grady McConnell, the chief of police her
e, gave me this today. He’s at the scene now waiting for us. He’s going to let us look around.”
Bile rose up the back of my throat. Flashbacks of seeing my mother and Cameron’s bodies ran rampant through my mind. I’d looked at their files a thousand times, hoping to figure out the puzzle. I didn’t want this to be the same way.
The last thing I expected was to know who the victim was.
“Fuck,” I hissed, staring at a picture of the bright-eyed girl I once sat beside in my high school class. Shelly Price was one of the smart ones, always concentrating on her school work. Unlike me, who cared more about sports than anything else.
From the crime scene photos, she was strangled to death . . . just like Cameron. There were no other marks on her body, except for her neck.
According to the report, she’d been raped, but it wasn’t until after she died. Sick fucker. I slammed the file shut and closed my eyes, clenching my teeth so hard the muscles in my jaw hurt. “Why didn’t you tell me who it was?” I growled, trying to slow my breathing.
Glenn’s voice lowered, but I could tell he was ready to grab me if I lost control. “I thought if you found out, it’d set you off and I’d have to hunt you down. If this is the same guy who murdered your sister, then she’s the key. I need you to dig deeper.”
“How?”
His gaze softened. “You need to go home, Preston. Search that house until you’ve combed every square inch. Something’s been missed and it needs to be found.”
The car felt smaller by the minute. I had to get the fuck out of there. “Forget it.”
Jerking the door open, I stormed outside and slammed it shut. There was no way in hell I was going back to my childhood home. I had no clue what the place even looked like now that my father didn’t live there anymore. It was probably falling apart.
The wind had picked up and the rotten decay of death surrounded me. Everywhere I went, it was all around me. Across the street, the waves crashed on the beach and there was a glow of lights where the police were investigating the scene of the crime. I wasn’t the police, just a killer who worked for the FBI. I doled out punishment—just the way I liked it.
A door slammed behind me and Glenn’s footsteps approached. “This could be your chance to end this, son. I know there’s more to you than mindless killing. Open yourself up. Use that potential your father always told me about.” His arm brushed against mine as we stared out at the dark, crashing waters. “He misses you, Preston.”
“Does he know about Shelly?”
An audible sigh escaped his lips. “Yes. When he found out, he was chomping at the bit to help.”
I could only imagine the pain and anger he must be feeling. I’d have killed myself if I was stuck in a wheelchair for the rest of my life.
Glenn placed a hand on my shoulder. “If he knows you’re here and that you’re helping, it’ll make a world of difference. He’ll feel like he’s a part of it.”
“I can’t. Not yet.”
“It’s your choice. I’m sure you’ll make the right decision.” He patted my shoulder and started across the road. “Now come on.”
I followed him to where the crime scene was marked off with yellow tape. The only way to get through this mess was to shut myself off. But that’d be easy. I’d done it so much, I didn’t even know who I was anymore.
Every time I closed my eyes to sleep, I saw visions of the people my targets had tortured. The smiling faces of kids who would never know what it was like to be innocent again, or the women who would always be looking over their shoulders for the next attacker. It was an endless dream I couldn’t control. The only time it got better was when I killed.
Drenched in sweat, I glanced over at the bedside clock. It was three in the fucking morning. Even being in Glenn’s pool house, with probably the most comfortable bed I’d ever sat on, going back to sleep would still be impossible. Unless . . .
My computer bag sat on the floor, beckoning me to open it. It was like a beacon, silently telling me it was time. It was the longest I’d ever gone without finding a target.
“Fuck it,” I grumbled low.
Grabbing a clean black shirt from my bag, I put it on and reached for my computer. I turned on my laptop and felt the adrenaline coursing through my veins. There was a special government software only my group had access to. It gave us the names and addresses of possible targets, including their everyday activities. We could see which ones were eliminated and by who. Wade Chandler, Glenn’s oldest son, and I were neck and neck on most kills, but I had him beat by two. Well, three, after tonight.
Scrolling down the list, my whole body shook in anticipation. It shouldn’t make someone happy to kill another being, but I craved it. Grinning wide, I found a target in North Charleston. Jim Butler was right up my alley. He’d served time in prison for raping his step-daughter, damaging her so bad she wouldn’t be able to have children when she got older. Most of the time, men like that didn’t survive prison, but the fucker must’ve had luck on his side. He sure as hell wasn’t going to survive me.
Grabbing my gun, I holstered it at my hip, pocketing two extra magazines for good measure. Glenn better not even think about trying to stop me. Taking my car keys, I clutched them in my hand and stormed out of the pool house. There were no lights on in the main house, but as soon as I walked past the pool, a light blared to life.
I turned to face the window, only to find Glenn staring at me. We faced off. I dared him to come out and stop me. Instead, he turned his head and shut off the light. He thought I needed to be saved, but I didn’t need saving.
Jim’s house was pitch black, and there was an old, beat-up truck in the driveway. Slipping around to the back of the house, I pried open the lock to the patio door and crept inside. Everything smelled like garbage and piss. The fucker snored so loud it led me right to his bedroom. He was by himself, sleeping on his back, with a hand behind his head as if he hadn’t a care in the world.
I kicked his bed and he jerked awake, his hands wiping at his face. “Wha—what’s going on?”
“Rise and shine, cocksucker. That must be how you stayed alive in prison . . . sucking dick.”
“Who are you?” he shouted, scrambling off the bed and backing against the wall. Only, he didn’t get far enough.
I pointed my gun straight at his cock and fired. His screams were deafening, and all I could do was smile as he flailed around on the floor, bleeding from his groin. He scrambled and clawed himself to the corner of the room, his face a mask of sheer terror.
Good. I wanted him to feel fear, to know what it was like to be terrified. No amount of torture was going to take away what he did. But at least his victims would know he died a horrible death. His step-daughter was the only one documented, but men like him had to hurt others; it was what they lived for.
Butler looked up at me as I towered over him, pointing my gun at his head. “Please,” he begged, his body shaking.
Hearing that word infuriated the fuck out of me. There was no room for mercy. He didn’t deserve it. Finger on the trigger, I glared down at him. “This is for Milly.”
Emma
Glenn didn’t need me again this morning, so I grabbed my notepad and walked across the street to White Point Garden. Just last night, I’d watched a couple get married in the white gazebo in the middle of the park. It made me realize that was never going to be me. I didn’t have time for men, other than Glenn and my father.
I walked up to the gazebo and sat down, enjoying the breeze. Summer was already here, and once July came, it’d be so hot you could barely breathe. Although, it’d definitely be better than Charlotte. Maybe I could convince Glenn he needed to work out of Wyoming for the summer. That way, we could escape the dreaded heat.
My phone rang so I set down my pad and reached for it inside my bag. I couldn’t help but smile. “Look who it is,” I said, chuckling as I answered the phone.
Andrea giggled. “I know, I know. I should’ve called you back ages ago.”
“Yes, you should’ve, but I understand. You’re a married woman now. How the hell are you?”
“Tired,” she said with a sigh. “But the school year’s almost up, so I’ll have a nice long summer.”
“Must be nice to have that kind of time off. Not that I’m complaining. The money is nice where I work.”
“I’m sure it is,” she replied slyly. “You happen to be working for one of the highest paid men in the country. I like telling the women at work I’m best friends with a celebrity.”
I scoffed. “Please. I’m just an assistant who goes with him everywhere. Nobody knows who I am.”
“But you said you don’t do much for him, except write his proposals and follow him around. Most assistants answer the phone, get coffee, and all that other bullshit.”
It was true. Glenn never had me do his errands. He had other people for that. “I don’t know, Andy. The whole situation is strange, but I’m not gonna argue. I get to see the world and enjoy doing it. At least, I have time to write.”
“True.”
In the background, I heard Cliff’s voice. “Put her on the speakerphone so I can say hey.”
Andrea snickered. “Okay. Emma, you mind?”
“Not at all.”
Cliff and Andrea were my best friends since college. I’d had others, but they either transferred or left without a trace.
She pressed the button and Cliff shouted. “Emma! What’s up, babe?”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “Sitting in Charleston, enjoying the weather. My boss has pretty much let me have the whole week off.”
“Nice. Well, you need to come up here and visit, especially in another six months.”
“Cliff!” Andrea scolded. “We were going to tell her together.”
Excitement bubbled in my chest. I had a feeling I already knew what was going on. “What is it?” I asked happily.
“We’re pregnant!” they called out at the same time.
“Aww . . . guys, that’s awesome. Congratulations. I will definitely make it a priority to get up there. I can’t wait to see my niece or nephew.” Cliff and Andrea were like family. I was an only child, so being an honorary aunt was going to be exciting. I just hated that they moved all the way up to Maine. It wasn’t like I could drive to see them anytime I wanted.