***
“But Mommy, I don’t want to wear this dress!” Amanda stomped into the kitchen with her hands folded tightly across her chest.
“Mandy, I don’t want to hear another word about it. I want you to come here, and sit while I make your breakfast! Ashley, get in here and leave your sister alone!” Sharon pulled a chair out for Amanda to sit on.
Mac chuckled as she watched the scene playing out before her. She was about to take another sip of her coffee when an extremely upset Rebecca ran into the kitchen.
“Mom, Ashley took my favorite barrette and won’t give it back!”
“I did not!” Ashley cried out with a large grin on her face.
“See mom, she’s lying, just look at her face!” Rebecca charged toward a giggling Ashley.
Mac saw this was all building to a dangerous point. She looked at Rick for his response and was surprised when he acted as though this was normal. He only sat there and drank his coffee while all the screaming and arguing went on around him.
Mac watched as Sharon turned to face both girls, stopping them dead in their tracks, and the look on her face made it quite clear that their behavior needed to change immediately.
“Now, unless you both want to find yourselves grounded to your bedroom with no television for one week, I suggest you sit down and eat your breakfast.” The tone of Sharon’s voice let the girls know they had better do as told.
Mac had to admit to herself that Sharon knew how to handle her girls because the meal was eaten in complete silence. Once the girls ate their breakfast, they finished getting ready for school with no further arguments.
“Come on girls, get your coats, and hurry up.” Sharon put on her coat and grabbed her car keys.
Sharon looked at Rick and Mac. “You two have a good day. Let’s hope that they will have the water situation fixed at your apartment, but if not, you know you are welcome here for as long as needed.”
Noticing the girls were not ready to go, Sharon turned toward the hall and said, “Girls, get your butts out here now!”
“I sure hope so,” Mac said, then laughed as she watched the three girls follow their mother to the door. “Thank you for letting me stay here, I’ve had a wonderful time.”
“It’s our pleasure. You know you’re welcome to stay here anytime. Come on, girls.” Sharon held the door open for them.
Mac had to smile when she heard the chorus of little voices say, “We love you, Mac, please come back soon! We love you too, Daddy!”
Rick and Mac sat at the kitchen table wondering what the day’s events would bring when Rick finally spoke, “Well, let’s get started. Game on!”
***
Mac had decided the best way, to start her day, would be with a visit to the hospital to check on Joey, and see if he would answer a few questions. She knew Erebus expected her to do that, so she decided not to disappoint him.
On the drive to the hospital, she worried what Erebus might do next. She knew he was a creature of habit and resisted change so he would be even more dangerous now. She turned up the volume on the radio to drown out the sound of Tyrone’s final words in her mind of his sister Jenni. Oh, dear God, what will he do with her now that he no longer needs her?
Mac said a silent prayer, as she pulled into the hospital parking lot. She turned off her car and was about to get out when her cell phone rang, “This is Detective Mackey.”
“Good morning, Lucinda. I hope you’re ready to continue with our game now that the holiday weekend is over.”
Mac felt her emotions begin to surge through her body, but she knew she must control them now at all cost. “Yes, I’m ready to continue my quest to take you down,” the tone of her voice was serious.
“I’m sure you’ve learned that Joey is back with his parents. So, I assume this means your little game has come to an abrupt ending!”
She had hoped her remark would upset him, but what he said next caught her completely by surprise. “My dear, Lucinda, you still don’t understand, do you? Joey was not what important; he was simply a piece in The Game. I have so much more ahead for you, and I look forward to sharing it all with you. Now go do your job, and see what you can learn from the boy, but I promise you that he will be of no help to you. I also understand the young man who took him died before you were able to question him. I’m sure it upset you, but it was for the best. You see, he would have been of no help to you either,” he softly snickered as he hung up the phone.
Mac sat silently in her car for several minutes unsure of what to think. “Come on, pull yourself together. Today will be the day the man behind the voice is finally exposed!” Mac got out of her car and walked to Joey Afton’s room.
Chapter 12
Mac hated to admit it, but she knew Erebus was right. The only person Joey saw was Tyrone. He said how he remembered playing with his dog Rex in his backyard, and then waking up in a dark and cold room. He had begun to cry, so Mac decided not to ask him any more questions.
When she began to leave, Joey had asked her if the bad man would be able to hurt him again. Mac knew the truth, but she told him not to worry because he was back with his mommy and daddy.
Once she had finished questioning Joey, Mac decided to head to the Department and see if anything new had been found out about the missing girl, Jenni Beltan. She knew the time was running out for Jenni, but she had to do something to help take her mind off Erebus.
She looked at her watch to see what time it was, “Damn, it’s still two hours until I’m supposed to meet Rick for lunch.” She wondered how things were going at her apartment, and what would happen once Erebus realized his cameras were no longer functioning.
As she pulled into the parking lot at the Department, her cell phone began to ring. She looked at the number and saw it was Rick, “Hello!”
“We’re finished if you’d like to meet with me sooner. We had a slight change of plans, but I think this will work out much better, in the long run.”
“Yeah, sure, I can be there in about fifteen minutes. I’ll see you soon.” Mac turned her car around and pulled back out onto the highway.
On the drive to the restaurant, to meet with Rick, she wondered what he had meant by there being a slight change of plans. When she pulled into the driveway of the restaurant, she noticed Rick had already arrived and was standing by his car waiting for her. She pulled into the parking space next to him.
“I was surprised to hear from you so soon.”
“Come on, let’s go inside, and then I’ll explain everything to you.” Rick walked to the front door of the restaurant and held the door open for her.
Once the waiter had brought their drinks and taken their order, Rick began. “I have to tell you I’m excited about what we’ve done. You see, once my friend saw the camera hookup that Erebus had done, he decided it would be best to put our own system in to catch him while we left his system intact.”
“I’m sorry, but I don’t understand where you’re going with this,” Mac tried to visualize what he meant.
“I told you my friend was a specialist with the military. He suggested that if this guy were as smart as we all believe him to be, he would realize that someone had tampered with his cameras. He said the smartest thing, for us to do, would be to put in our own system that would also turn on whenever somebody entered the apartment. He placed several motion sensors around, so no matter how Erebus enters the apartment the cameras will automatically begin to record. He also installed a trigger device so we can cut the power to any of the cameras Erebus installed. This way he will believe it had failed in some way and needed to be fixed.” Rick smiled with a satisfied look on his face.
“My friend said it would be best to have only one of the cameras go out to make it more believable, and that way we wouldn’t need to cut the power to your apartment again.”
As Mac sat and listened to Rick, she felt the excitement growing inside of her. She knew it would be a risky move, but they had to take the chance.
�
��So, when will we make this move?” Mac found it amusing to have a move of her own to use against Erebus. She was the master, and this move would be one Erebus would never see coming.
Rick smiled, understanding her play on words. “I thought this evening; once you’re home and settled. I’m sure he’ll be extremely disappointed to not be able to watch you in bed tonight, though.” Rick chuckled at the way her cheeks blushed at the thought of him watching her during her most private times.
“It sounds like a plan then,” Mac said a silent prayer that Rick’s plan would work.
The waiter arrived with their meals, so they decided to spend the rest of their lunchtime relaxing and clearing their heads. Mac knew they were taking a big chance because if Erebus discovered their plan, the price would be more than they had bargained for, and neither wanted that to happen.
***
The rest of the afternoon seemed to drag on forever. Mac and Rick had gone back to the Department after lunch to keep up the appearance of a typical day. They knew they would have stacks of paperwork to go through on the Afton case, and figured this would help take their minds off what faced them this evening.
As Mac entered her notes into the computer, she wondered what Erebus would do once he realized one of his cameras no longer worked. Would he ignore it, or come back to her apartment to repair it. She had to admit, the thought of him in her apartment made her nauseous again, but she also knew this would be the best way to catch him.
After hours of mind-numbing paperwork, Rick looked up at the clock and realized it was time to leave for the day.
“Well, I guess we might as well get out of here, and set up our little trap.” He put the last of his paperwork in a folder and powered down his computer for the evening.
Mac looked over at Rick, and he saw the fear in her eyes. He knew she was nervous, but they had no choice.
“Rick, I hate the idea that he’ll be able to see everything I do. You know, it’s funny how I sensed something strange before I went to talk with John Cooper in Philadelphia. I had such an uneasy feeling every time I went home, but I could not explain it. To think he has been watching me all this time.”
“I know how you must feel, but this will all be over soon. The asshole won’t know what hit him,” Rick laughed, trying to put her at ease.
Mac powered down her computer and gathered her things to leave. “I know you’re right and I can’t wait to see the look on his face when we slap the cuffs on him. I do have to admit there’s still a part of me that is worried. What if it doesn’t fool him?”
Rick hated to admit that he shared her same fear, but he knew this would be their only chance, so they had to take it.
As they walked out the door to their cars, each one of them wondered what this night would bring. Rick looked at Mac and forced a smile. “I’ll know when you’re home, and I promise to keep a close eye on you to make sure you’re safe.”
“I hope not too close of an eye,” Mac teased. “You know a girl does like her privacy.”
***
The alarm sounded and alerted him she had entered the security gate to the complex. “Ah, my dear, Lucinda, it’s good to have you back home. I’ve missed our special time together.” He watched anxiously, as she entered the front door. He had to admit how much he had missed his time with her, and it surprised him how he had found himself counting the moments until her return every evening.
What is it about her? He had played his game numerous times before, but none had intrigued him the way she did. He found her spirit to be intoxicating, but what fascinated him most was her strength and ability to challenge him intellectually. He held his breath, as the cameras came to life when she entered the front door. “Welcome home, Lucinda. I look forward to our evening together.”
***
Mac stood outside her front door for a few moments, unsure if she wanted to enter. She knew Erebus would know she was home, but knowing he will watch her every move made her blood run cold. She knew she needed to go about her usual routine, so she walked into the kitchen, pulled a frozen dinner out of the freezer, and put it in the microwave.
She then decided to go to her bedroom and change out of her work clothes into something more comfortable; praying that Rick had already disengaged the camera in her bedroom. The thought of Erebus watching her undress made her skin crawl, but she knew she had to keep up the ruse, or all would be lost.
She walked back into the kitchen just as the microwave had finished. She then got a cold beer out of the refrigerator and sat to eat her meal.
***
He watched as she put her dinner in the microwave, and then went to change out of her work clothes in her bedroom. He always enjoyed this time spent with her, as she would transform from a tough Police Detective into a beautiful goddess. He held his breath with anticipation, as she reached for the barrette holding her hair up tightly on her head.
You are much more beautiful with your hair down around your shoulders; he thought to himself.
He held his breath anticipating the moment when: nothing. He leaned forward and realized that black filled the screen.
“What the hell?” He turned to look at the other monitors, which all continued to show the different rooms in her apartment.
This is extremely disappointing; he thought to himself because he knew this meant another trip to her apartment.
He waited a few moments until she appeared on one of the other monitors. “Ah, there she is.”
He watched her walk back into the kitchen. “My dear, Lucinda, I hate to see you eat alone. You are truly a rare gem. You should not be sitting alone, eating a frozen microwave dinner.”
He reached out and touched her face on the monitor screen. “Enjoy your meal, my dear, for tomorrow I have an exciting new move for you, but first I need to repair the camera in your bedroom. I hate that I will miss your beautiful face when you wake up in the morning.”
***
Once Mac had finished her dinner, she decided to see if anything interesting was on the television. She flipped through the channels unable to find anything that sparked her interest, so she decided to try to read some of the book she had begun reading a couple of weeks earlier.
However, her mind was unable to focus on the book because she kept wondering if Erebus was watching her every move.
She closed her eyes, thinking, I hope this works, and we catch him soon because I don’t know how much longer, I’ll be able to keep this up.
She held the book, trying to read, but finally realized her attempts were in vain. “Oh to hell with it, I’m tired; I’m going to bed!” Okay, Rick, I hope you have that damn camera off, she thought to herself. She paused briefly outside the door to her bedroom and took a deep breath to calm her nerves. She quickly walked to her bed, undressed and then slipped under the blanket. Her heart was pounding in her chest, and she prayed her performance was convincing. Okay Erebus, the ball is now in your court!
***
It surprised Rick how well the camera system worked. It had alerted him when she entered the front door, and he was pleased with the quality of the images.
“You’re doing a good job Mac, keep it up.” Rick watched her put the frozen dinner in the microwave and then go to her bedroom.
Rick had decided to wait for her to empty her pockets, and then just before she was ready to undress; he hit the kill button on the camera.
“Let’s see how the bastard likes this!” he snickered, knowing this denied Erebus the pleasure of watching her.
Okay, everything appears to work properly, now let’s see how long it takes him to fall into our trap, he said silently. “Sweet dreams, Mac.”
***
Mac was awake and out of bed before her alarm sounded. The house was dark, for which she was thankful. The last thing she wanted was for Erebus to be able to watch her. While lying in bed unable to sleep, she had wondered how he knew when she woke up in the morning. First, she thought it could have been her alarm, but then the idea came t
o her; maybe it was when she turned on the lights.
Unsure of which theory was correct, she decided not to take a chance with either one. She decided to take her shower, and then get back in her bed before he realized what she had done. She had to laugh at how silly it was to be standing in her own bathroom in total darkness, but the thought, of him watching her, was more than she could endure.
Mac decided not to linger in the shower for fear of alerting him that she was awake. Once she had finished, she hurried back to her bedroom and got into bed with only five minutes to spare. When the alarm sounded, she closed her eyes, praying that he believed her performance and would be anxious to fix his broken camera.
Chapter 13
Mac was relieved to be out of her apartment. She hated the way this made her feel and was anxious to have her life back to normal. She pulled into the parking lot of the Department and noticed that Rick had already arrived. She quickly parked her car and hurried inside.
“Good morning, Sleeping Beauty,” Rick teased, waiting for her response. She then shot him a look letting him know she did not find his comment amusing.
“Sorry, I just couldn’t help myself,” he snickered with a sheepish grin on his face.
“I’m sorry too; I’m just tired. I didn’t get much sleep last night, so my nerves are on the edge.” Mac reached for her coffee cup.
“I need some coffee. Do you want any?” Mac groaned.
“No thanks, I’ve had enough for this morning. If I drink anymore, you’ll have to tie me to this chair,” Rick laughed.
“Well, I think I could drink a gallon and not have it affect me one bit.” Mac groaned, then walked to the coffee pot on the other side of the room.
Rick waited for her to sit and take a sip of her coffee before he spoke again. “You know you needed to make it believable, right? Don’t you normally have coffee and breakfast at home?”
Mac had sat for several moments before she answered him. “I do, but I just couldn’t bring myself to stay in there any longer. You have no idea what it’s like to have somebody watch your every move. I even took a shower in the dark this morning because I was sure if I turned on the light, it would alert him that I was awake. How twisted is that?”
A New Game Page 16