Reckless Bounty (Intergalactic Justice Book 1)

by Marly Mathews

  “I do mind! I won’t ever give up. I don’t give up, and I don’t give in. So buck up, sit down and let’s put our heads together. I have to still watch that footage. I bet you any money, I’ll be able to find something the matter with it.”

  “I doubt it,” he said, as she flopped back into the chair in front of the plasma T.V.

  “Wait a minute…” she started, snapping her fingers. “When you mentioned a shady past, something clicked in my head. Lady Devlin used to be a prostitute, think of all of the crummy characters she must have known. Maybe one of them came back to finally finish her off.”

  “Yeah, my identical twin that I don’t have,” he scoffed, reaching for the cup of coffee that sat in front of him.

  “Will you give it a chance for the love of God?” Samantha huffed, chewing her lip. “Have you geniuses even thought about calling Charlotte? She could solve this whole thing for us. All we have to do is ask her to tap into it, and she’ll be able to say whether or not you’re guilty.

  Just give me a sec, I can have her on the line in no time.” She leaned forward. “I don’t know why we didn’t think of this before. It’s a pretty obvious conclusion. And here I’ve been running myself ragged. I’d tap into your memories if I wasn’t too afraid of frying your brain while I was taking a tour.”

  “I won’t put your sister through that hell!” he said, dismissing the idea.

  “Hell? Oh, come off it. You’re family, and she’s strong. She’s the strongest that they’ve ever measured. She’d be able to tell and then Devlin and the whole community of New Monaco would have to believe that you were innocent!”

  “She can’t even tell you who murdered your father.”

  “That’s because the person that murdered my father was gifted like her. He cleaned up after himself. And unless I can remember that night, she won’t be able to tap into it, until she’s grown in her abilities and she’s ready to fight him, for the information.

  Until that day, it’s up to me! And she can’t get into my head, because I’m shielding it away. I might not be able to actively harness the powers that Charlotte can, but I can protect you! I won’t let you die! Don’t you understand? It might be the only option we have. I’m going to tell Johanna to contact Charlotte immediately.”

  “We do this the normal way, or we don’t do it at all. You might be used to having someone like Charlotte in your family, but it spooks me out. I won’t let her in, and she can’t legally force her way in, so it’s a dead end cause.” His smugness caused her to fight the urge to smack him until he was black and blue.

  “I don’t know why I married you. You make me want to scream!” she remarked, reaching for her own cup of coffee that he had just poured. “You’re an asinine, annoying, self-fulfilling, arrogant prick! And if Charlotte spooks you out, then, I must as well. You forget I am just as talented as she… I just choose not to use my powers in every aspect of my life. I guess there is a reason our marriage couldn’t work. You could never accept me for who I am.”

  Her mind went to Devlin, and she swallowed past the sudden dryness in her mouth.

  “Go ahead and play that footage. It’s time that Samantha Cassidy showed you how it’s done.”

  “When I’m gone, don’t ever stop calling yourself Samantha Cassidy. The name suits you, and you make it sound so damn good when you say it. You can remarry, but don’t change your name, that’ll be my dying wish,” he sighed.

  “Yeah, and if you’re not careful, Tyler, you’ll be getting that wish much sooner than you expected. If you ever discuss your death with me again, I’ll make sure that you go out in style!”

  He let loose with his husky chuckle and made an unbearable pain grow within her. She wouldn’t lose him. She wouldn’t lose him this way. Her life had been tragic enough, and she didn’t have any more room for heartache. She wouldn’t see Dylan suffer so terribly.

  As he played the footage, she grew increasingly restless. She kept darting her gaze between Tyler and the image of him on the screen. She watched almost mesmerized, as he shot up the stairs, then her eyes followed him into Lady Devlin’s room.

  That was when the cameras lost him since no surveillance equipment was kept in any of the bedrooms in the mansion. But there was audio on the footage, and a loud struggle could be heard followed by a shattering scream, ending with foreboding silence.

  Minutes later, Tyler exited the bedroom, rushed down the stairs and out of the front door. The stony expression on his face was chilling and sent a dagger straight through her heart. She watched the T.V. even read the analysis that Dylan and the Jordan had done on the sidebar.

  From the tests, they had run everything matched perfectly, right down to the inflections in Tyler’s voice.

  But something was wrong!

  Even though Tyler’s gait and his movements were identical to the one that she knew, she still didn’t believe the man on the screen was the real deal. She wanted harder evidence. It was an age of unimaginable scientific advancements, anything could account for why it seemed as if Tyler was the murderer.

  She glanced over at Tyler, and her heart stood still as she took in the anguish that had enveloped his flawless features.

  “You aren’t responsible,” she whispered, covering his large hand with her smaller one.

  “I did it. Open your eyes, Samantha. That was me, ME!” he shouted, pushing his chair back. “I hate myself. I don’t even know what would have possessed me to do such a thing. She threatened me with telling you of our relationship, but I shrugged it off.”

  “I wondered if you had cheated on me, be that as it may we shall not let you hang. Our marriage was broken from the start, Tyler. Maybe we both should have tried a little harder—I don’t know. That doesn’t even account for the pure, simple fact that you are not a natural born killer. You’re a no good dirty thief, but that’s where it ends! Just because you steal inanimate objects doesn’t mean you would steal Lady Devlin’s life from her. That is where you draw the line. We’re in this as a family and family doesn’t let family down!”

  “I don’t deserve any of you,” he said, as something unrecognizable flickered in his eyes. “Honestly, Samantha, I must’ve been slipping that night because I never went out the front door, there was too many people hanging around the house and too many frigging cameras. After all, I am a cat burglar, and old habits are hard to break.”

  “Yes, they are,” she said, thinking back to the life that she led.

  She couldn’t stop bounty hunting, anymore that he could resist resorting to his own bad ways while they were separated.

  “If I hadn’t pushed you away, you wouldn’t have been in that situation in the first place,” Samantha wanted to scream. “But we can’t do should have, would haves…we probably weren’t right as lovers, but we do make a good pair of friends, don’t we? We’ve always been okay in that department.”

  “Yes we have been. You didn’t push me away. I wasn’t willing to compete with your career. I used my concern for your life as an excuse. I know now there isn’t anything in this world that could stop you. You’re one tough lady, and I should rejoice in that, instead of giving into my jealously. You’re right, we’re better off as best friends and I hope our friendship will never be shaken the way our marriage was.”

  “Oh, Tyler,” Samantha murmured. She extended her hand for him to shake. “I think that sounds stupendous. We shan’t ever break up as friends. I can make that promise.”

  Like her father used to say, as long as there was a will there was a way. And there wasn’t anyone in the bloody galaxy that had a will as strong as her. She was in a class of her own.

  Even when the sky was falling down around her, she’d still be clinging to the truth. He might be a great many things but there was truth in his innocence, and she’d stop at nothing in making everyone else see what she had always known.

  She wouldn’t lose him—she wouldn’t do that to Dylan or to Johanna.

  Chapter Forty-One

  Samant
ha rolled to her other side searching for Devlin’s warm form to snuggle up against. She roamed her hand across the bed and let out a disappointed moan, when she found the bed empty.

  Thinking he had just gone to the bathroom, she rolled back over curled herself up and began drifting back into dreamland. She pulled the pillow up to cover her ears, when she heard the beeping sound of the communication link activating.

  “Samantha, WAKE UP!!!” Johanna’s frenzied voice called out.

  “Go away. Come back in about three hours. I’m getting my beauty sleep.” Reaching her arm out, she searched for her miniature communication device. Problem was, it was so damn small she couldn’t find it.

  She had at least another forty minutes to sleep before she had to resume her manhunt for the killer. Until then, why couldn’t Johanna just leave her alone? Johanna knew how cranky she was in the morning since she detested mornings and resisted rising before eleven if she could help it.

  “We’ve got a situation on our hands. It definitely demands your attention!” Johanna said, stress filling her voice.

  “Be quiet, Johanna, you’re making my ass ache,” Samantha mumbled, rolling onto her other side. She’d given up brushing her hand over the bedside table. She’d never find her communicator device until she peeled her eyes open.

  “Good,” Johanna replied. “Because Tyler’s surrendered himself to Devlin. He’s been transported back down to the surface with Devlin. Devlin’s people are scheduling his much anticipated public execution for tomorrow.”

  “That’s nice,” Samantha mumbled sleepily, not quite comprehending the severity of the situation.

  Then she remembered the empty bed, as Johanna’s warning began to sink into her thick head.

  “SHIT!!!” she cried, jumping out of bed stark naked, just as the door chime sounded, and Jordan waltzed in. “Well,” she barked, “This day’s really getting started with a bang!” She stuck her tongue out at the Jordan, who got his eyes full, before turning his back to her. “Ready The Excalibur, I’ll be right there. I need my weapons, and...” She looked down to the bedside table and picked up her communicator.

  “I’m taking care of everything. Don’t worry.” Johanna’s soft voice actually did calm her nerves.

  “He isn’t going to die, you can tell Dylan that!” Samantha could actually hear her heart thumping against her ribcage.

  “’Course he’s not, darling. We’ll just break him out again and run with him,” Johanna finished, not in the least bit fazed by the thought of aiding and abetting a wanted criminal.

  “I didn’t hear that!” Jordan began humming. “I’ve suddenly gone deaf.”

  “Yeah, well, I wish you were blind too! Sneaking into my room, I should give you a black eye for that.”

  Johanna’s shocked exclamation sifted out through the com link.

  “Samantha, you should’ve told me that you had company. Please, tell me you didn’t spend the night with him!” Johanna urged, her voice filling with anxiety.

  “No! Johanna, I spent the night with Devlin, but I doubt that will meet your approval. How the hell did Devlin get away with taking Tyler? You shouldn’t have let them go! I thought I had some sway over the man. I guess he really doesn’t care what I want or think. This will come back to bite him in the ass, I can tell you that much.”

  Samantha was annoyed to no end. Grumbling, she reached for her jacket. She’d already put on everything else, and she was itching to get on the move.

  “I do! But since you weren’t listening the first time, Tyler turned himself in. For his credit, Devlin looked as shocked as I felt. He even asked Tyler if he was sure. Samantha, I don’t think Devlin wants to kill Tyler—because he knows that will put the two of you on the outs.

  But he’s bound to, or the public might band together and form a lynching mob. The situation on New Monaco is as tense as it’s ever been. Rodgers is stirring up the forces that oppose Devlin, and I think Devlin kind of realizes that he has to execute Tyler in order to keep the already strained peace.”

  “How can one have peace on a planet filled with criminals?” she demanded.

  “It’s that or everything goes straight to hell,” Jordan supplied, as Samantha stared at him with blazing eyes.

  “Did I tell you to speak? I’m having a conversation here with my sister, not you. Johanna, you shouldn’t have let him go. Hey, you, Red, it was your greed that got Tyler into this mess in the first place. Why couldn’t you have persuaded Devlin to keep Tyler here?” Samantha demanded, turning on him like a wild cat.

  “No one persuades Devlin to do anything! And you found that out. Even shagging him didn’t change his mind about Tyler, did it?”

  “Oh, shut up,” Samantha muttered. Devlin couldn’t have betrayed her like this—what the hell was he thinking? He obviously had no regard for her feelings whatsoever.

  “Just for your information, I did get in contact with Devlin, but he sounded so damn miserable I didn’t have the heart. Now, I know why he sounded so miserable. He really doesn’t want to lose you for the second time around and he knows this is a make or break it kind of thing for your relationship.

  I don’t even think he believes that Tyler is guilty anymore. You planted the seed of doubt and Devlin is someone that never lets anything go. You and he are quite similar that way, which is probably why you’re so good together. I’ve never heard my--” Devlin sounded so strange. He’s stuck between a rock and a hard place and I don’t think he knows which way to turn.”

  “Humph!” Samantha mumbled, pulling on her black leather boots. “So what you’re telling me is that I’ve got exactly twenty-four hours,” she assumed, making sure that her dagger was still tucked safely inside her boot.

  “Don’t worry. Samantha, it won’t even take us that long to break out Tyler,” Johanna murmured.

  “Dearest sister of mine, I don’t intend to break out my husband. I intend to clear his name and watch the true murderer have a nice little swing.”

  “Samantha, dear, I don’t think you have time,” Johanna contradicted.

  “I’d have to agree,” Jordan remarked.

  Samantha sighed. She turned and scowled over at him.

  “I didn’t ask for your opinion, Red! Johanna never fails to tell me the odds when I’m fighting time. But guess what, Old Man Time can kiss my ass! I’m going to make it work, and when I do you’ll both see that I’m always right.” She smiled as something began percolating in the back of her mind. She reached for the remote control and turned on the T.V.

  “What are you doing? Going to watch a movie for inspiration?” he asked, sarcasm dripping through his voice. He moved to stand beside her.

  “You know, you tell me that I’m like Devlin, but if I didn’t know better I’d swear you had sprung from his loins!” Samantha complained, fast-forwarding through everything that she didn’t need to see.

  She paused the frame that she needed to see and smiled. “Woo-hoo, I got you, you little piss ant!” she muttered, ejecting the recording chip, and running toward the door.

  “Have you lost your mind?” the Red Falcon called hurrying after her. She ran as if her ass was on fire. She needed to show her discovery to everyone and then gloat about how intelligent she was.

  They had all given up. But she had told Tyler, she would find something wrong with the footage, and she had done just that. It was something Tyler should’ve noticed himself.

  Samantha ran into The Excalibur and barreled into Veronica.

  “Watch it! You idiot!” Veronica grumbled.

  Samantha rolled her eyes at her, reached up and planted a wet kiss on her cheek.

  “Oh, gross! What a way to start my morning!” Veronica grumbled.

  Samantha rushed over to the computer on the bridge and shoved the chip into the drive.

  “Lucy, playback frame seven and still it halfway through,” Samantha ordered. Her nerves were at a pitch. They didn’t have much time. They had to get moving.

  “What’s the magic word
?” Lucy huffed, crackling into existence.

  “Move it!” Samantha barked, as Lucy snorted and did as she was told.

  “That’s two words,” Lucy huffed.

  “Samantha, we’ve watched this footage nearly a thousand times,” Dylan said, sighing heavily, “And it all ends the same way!”

  “Yes. But I wasn’t here watching it with you, monkey boy, so you were missing the smartest one among you.” Samantha smiled at him, and Dylan grumbled while Johanna patted his arm.

  “You should listen to Samantha. Tyler’s life is at stake! If she’s found something then you should be overjoyed,” Johanna advised.

  “I am. But why does she have to rub it in?” he groused, as Samantha pointed at the screen.

  “WHAT?” they all asked, including Ross, who had just joined the party.

  She sighed, just barely managing to keep her patience. “What is Tyler, or as I would like to call him Fake Tyler doing?” she demanded, looking expectantly at all of them.

  “He’s walking down the stairs,” Veronica said, looking at Samantha as if she’d lost her mind.

  “Yes, I know, Big V, but what else?” Samantha prompted expectantly, holding her finger up to her temple.

  “Tyler’s looking up at the camera,” Johanna commented.

  Samantha let out a whoop and rushed to hug her.

  “It must be in the genes,” Samantha remarked, even though everyone was still looking at her blankly. “Okay, I’m going to say this real slow like and hopefully everyone will be able to follow me.

  Tyler told me that he never left the house by the front door, because there were too many people and too many cameras. I’ve been inside of Devlin’s house, and even with my sharp eyes I didn’t notice the cameras and I was looking.