The Traitor's Revenge (Wallis Jones Series 2016)

by Martha Carr

  “Is my brother going to be okay?” he asked Louie, who was applying a pressure bandage to Tom’s shoulder.

  “Yeah, but we have to keep him out of the way of bombs and guns,” said Louie, “or else he’ll never be able to get life insurance again. You doing okay, buddy?” asked Louie, looking at Ned who was still shaking, clutching his uncle’s hand.

  “Yeah, yeah,” said Ned. His eyes were wide and his teeth were chattering.

  “You want me to give him a mild sedative? It’d probably be a good idea under the circumstances,” said Louie.

  Norman looked at his son. He had never seen him like that and he was worried that the damage was permanent. He needed to get him out of here.

  “Yeah, do it,” said Norman. “What have I done?” he asked.

  Tom raised his head and reached for his brother’s arm.

  “You haven’t done anything, little brother. You’ve dealt with the events as they have unfolded, crap and all.”

  “You don’t know who I saw today at the shad planking,” said Norman, his face growing paler.

  “I’ll bet I do,” said Tom, putting his head back and closing his eyes. “Did he look alright?” The EMT’s lifted him carefully onto the gurney as he groaned from the pain.

  “Is it your leg that’s bothering you or your shoulder?” asked Louie.

  “Does it really matter?” asked Tom.

  “As a matter of fact, it does, but you have a point. You need to end this vacation and go home where it’s a little safer,” said Louie.

  “How can you be so calm?” asked Norman. “Do you know what our brother has done? He’s responsible for people dying, for you getting injured. Do you see what he’s done to my family?”

  Tom grimaced and looked at Louie. “Didn’t hear a thing,” said Louie, “Surprised you even need to ask.”

  Wallis came down the stairs as Tom’s phone started to buzz. Louie was shaking his head, no, trying to get him to relax.

  “I have to, I have to get it,” he said. There were numbers spilling across the screen and just as quickly translating into a message. Robert was safe and had made it to the first destination with Mark. They were taking a short respite and would be heading out that night for the next leg. Tom didn’t like that they were staying in one place for so long. They needed to keep moving.

  “What is it?” asked Wallis. “Tell me, Tom or so help me, you’ll never be welcome in this house again.”

  Ned looked up, worried at his mother. His face was streaked with tears. Louie handed him a small pill and a little paper cup of water.

  “We’re not playing by your rules anymore. This is our life, our family that all of you have invaded and we’re taking it back. You tell me what it said or get out and don’t come back. Don’t Norman,” she said, putting out her arm to stop him from trying to comfort her. “I don’t need anything but a little information right now. What’s it going to be, Tom?”

  Tom looked from Norman to Wallis and let out a sigh. “You people could take out Management all by yourselves,” he said. “There are some Circle operatives and their children, a couple of zwanzigs amongst them that we are moving through the system to a safer place. At least one of them knows far too much to just leave out in the wind. They have reached the first safe place.”

  “It’s that man, the one whose wife died,” said Wallis. “She was the one who died trying to protect all of those children,” said Wallis, holding out the little race car.

  “Put that away,” said Tom. “You hold onto it for now. You have proven to be the best guardian of it.”

  “Where is he? Where are they now?” asked Wallis, with a determined tone.

  “I can’t tell you that,” said Tom, “alright, alright. I won’t make you repeat your speech. But what are you planning to do, go there?”

  “Yes,” said Wallis, “after we get Ned someplace a little safer. I need to call Laurel.”

  Wallis turned and looked back at the stairs leading up to the third floor, hesitated and looked back at her son.

  “Come on, Ned. Let’s go downstairs for a while. They’ll be taking Tom back to the hospital. He’ll be okay. You can let go of his hand. Grab on to Mommy’s hand. It’s okay, sweet pea,” she said in a soothing tone. The same one she used to use when he was three and had a nightmare.

  “It’s okay, Ned. You did a great job,” said Tom. “You kept me calm this whole time,” he said, as he kissed the boy’s hand and let him go. “Go with your mom. It’s okay. The grownups are going to take care of everything and make sure this doesn’t happen again.”

  Wallis hugged her son tight, rubbing his back. “Come on, Ned. Let’s go downstairs.”

  Norman watched them go and waited till they were all the way downstairs before he asked the policeman standing at the bottom of the stairs. “What’s it look like upstairs?”

  “Oscar’s dead, bled out. It’s definitely a self-defense on your mother in law’s part. I’d hate to get her on my bad side. She’s a little too calm for me,” said the officer.

  “I know what you mean,” said Norman, as a shudder went through him.

  “What in blue blazes happened here?” asked Alice Watkins. She was lumbering up the last of the stairs. “I go to the store finally for just a little while and the place goes to hell in a hand basket.”

  “Thank goodness you’re here, Alice. I need a little favor. Can you make sure my mother in law gets home?” asked Norman.

  “I know who she is, you know,” said Alice, arching a badly penciled eyebrow. “Sure, sure, I’ll do it. It seems I’m in this mess no matter what I do so I might as well help out. Where is she?”

  “Upstairs with the guy who shot up this place but he’s a little worse off. Dead in fact from a bullet to the abdomen.”

  “If it makes you feel any better, I believe he’s the one who gave the order to try and get you killed,” said Tom.

  “Well, then this day is looking better and better. Who shot him?”

  “My mother in law,” said Norman.

  “I like her already,” said Alice, “What’s her name?”

  “Harriet, Harriet Jones,” said Norman.

  “Harriet, you doing okay?” Alice called out, as she headed up the stairs.

  “You have interesting house guests,” said Louie. “Okay, we’re out of here. Ready guys, on three we lift him.”

  Norman waited until Tom was in the ambulance and Alice had convinced Harriet to leave with her. Harriet seemed to be under the impression that Alice was some kind of help and said, “It’s about time, Wallis,” as she gathered her purse from where she had dropped it in the foyer. “The police took my gun. Do you have one?” she asked Alice as they headed out the door.

  “We’re heading out,” said Wallis. “We’re picking up Paul and dropping both of them at Laurel’s,” she said, still holding onto Ned. “They’re going to hang out at her house and eat pizza while we take a short road trip.”

  “But nothing dangerous, right Mom?” asked Ned.

  “Right,” she said, knowing she might be lying.

  Norman gave the keys to the house to the coroner and asked him to do his best to lock up when they were done collecting evidence. He called Esther and told her what had happened and she said she’d make sure the broken door was taken care of immediately. He checked his car for any tracking devices before they pulled out and told Wallis to sit in back with Ned. The sedative was starting to take effect and Ned had stopped shaking but he wouldn’t let go of his mother. He fell asleep with her arms around him.

  Richard saw them pull out and started following them from a short distance. Everything was a horrible mess. He saw the man on the stretcher and then the black body bag but he didn’t know who was injured and who was dead. Robin had called three times screaming over the phone about the amazing inability of everyone in Richmond to follow very simple orders. She was screaming at him to meet her at the Holiday Inn on the South Side when he pulled onto the interstate a few car lengths behind Norman. H
e stopped taking her calls after that. He didn’t have any idea what he was going to do but he was sure he was running out of options and getting anywhere near Robin Spingler right now was a very bad idea.

  They made several stops as they picked up a child and then dropped off two of them in the east end of town. None of it made sense to him. He began to wonder if they were just out for the day like nothing had ever happened. It’s possible, he thought. I don’t understand these people at all.

  They pulled onto the highway heading north and this time there was no stopping as they drove for an hour and a half, past Fredericksburg until they got closer to the suburbs surrounding Washington and they split off toward 395 heading past the Landmark Mall. He let them get as far ahead of him as possible till he wasn’t able to always see them. He worried about losing them but he could see that they were in the far right lane and were peeling off, onto Seminary Road.

  It wasn’t long before they turned onto the sprawling campus. Richard saw the sign and realized the seminary must be connected somehow to the Circle. He parked his car across the road and watched them come down the campus road that ran parallel to Seminary Road till they stopped at the first parking lot just behind the post office. They got out and walked toward the two-story red brick building right in front of them. A large woman came out and greeted them and Wallis seemed to recognize her and called out something as they hugged. Norman shook her hand and they all disappeared inside.

  Richard was wondering whether or not to hang around and watch what might happen next when he saw the Lincoln Continental from half a mile away weaving in and out of traffic and headed in his direction.

  “Not again,” he muttered. He could feel the sweat appear on his forehead instantly and he wondered if he should try and run. “What’s the point,” he said. He shoulders sagged and he smiled briefly as the car pulled up alongside him. He couldn’t see through the heavily tinted glass but he knew somewhere behind there was the crimson red smile of Robin Spingler. She had found him anyway.

  She threw open her car door and threw out a pale, meaty leg in a black, sensible pump.

  “You’re lucky, Richard. That’s probably the first time I’ve ever thought that about you and the last,” she said, letting out a throaty laugh. Richard stood behind the front of his car to keep a little distance between them.

  “You managed to do something that hundreds of Management operatives who actually had a direct order were unable to pull off,” she said, standing up and smoothing out her navy blue skirt. “You seem to have found Robert Schaeffer. You may live to see another day just yet, unlike that pig, Oscar. He’s very dead, which is all for the best considering all the evidence the police found on him.” Robin looked at Richard and pursed her lips. “You may think you have Parrish on a leash for you but you’d be very wise to heed my warning. I know how you feel about me,” she said, smiling broadly, “but I only injure. Parrish likes to play for keeps and trust me, you won’t see him coming.”

  Richard felt a little bile rise in his throat. He was less and less sure of what was a worse choice.

  “How did you find me?” asked Richard.

  “Really, this should all be so easy for you, Richard. You went through all of the training,” said Robin, sounding annoyed. “Your car has a permanent tracking device in it. We always know where you are. I get regular reports on all of my staff,” she said, preening. “What have you seen? Who’s here?” she asked, shading her eyes to get a better look at the campus across the street.

  “That’s the Weiskopf car right there. They went in that building just in front of it but besides one old, large white woman I haven’t seen anyone else.”

  “I have a feeling I know that old woman and I have a score to settle with her as well. She’s a hard one to capture and a pain in my side,” said Robin. “Do you think anyone saw you, and don’t lie to me,” she said.

  “No, no, I don’t think they have any idea they were followed.”

  “That’s good, very good. You see, Richard, it’s possible to work your way back in to my good graces. However, it’s always going to be true that you’re only as useful to me as the information you carry.” She laughed again. Richard felt the bile growing. It was safe to say that Robin Spingler disgusted Richard.

  Robin pulled out a thirty-eight Special with a black grip and a pink barrel. She checked to make sure it was loaded and put it back in her purse.

  “What are you planning to do?” asked Richard, worried about what his part in all of this was going to be.

  “Well, I’m sure as hell not sitting around here waiting for something to happen. We’re going to go in and take care of this. We either leave with Robert Schaeffer or kill him where he is and see if we can’t find a certain thumb drive.”

  “There are a lot of people in there. Did you see what this place is? It has to be crawling with Circle operatives. We’ll never make it out of there.”

  “Relax. You are nothing but a big girl,” said Robin, looking Richard up and down. “It’s a seminary. I can see that, which is why we’re going in right now before they leave that building. It’s our perfect chance. These morons don’t believe in weapons and don’t allow them on the grounds. They think God will protect them,” she said, rolling her eyes. “Let’s see how well that works, shall we?”

  She put her purse over her arm and looked both ways before darting across the wide road. Richard wanted to ask her if she was crazy but knew better than to point out the obvious and ran behind her, nervously checking for traffic. She strode up the grass and crossed the little campus road as if someone was expecting them toward the building with the small brass plate on it that said Building One.

  “I don’t have a good feeling about this,” said Richard.

  “When have you ever had a good feeling?” asked Robin, the sound of contempt obvious in her voice. They went up to the door Richard had seen everyone disappear through and saw that it had a push button pad. Robin jiggled the handle anyway but it was locked. She dropped her chin and let out a deep sigh as if the world were conspiring against her.

  It was a simple cipher pad with only five number buttons which was quite popular years ago and could be broken into within minutes just by punching all of the potential combinations in sequence.

  “We use to routinely get into secure spaces this way in the late ‘80’s and ‘90’s as long as you had a few minutes to do it,” said Robin, as she continued to methodically punch in the different combinations. The door finally made a loud buzzing noise.

  “Aha,” said Robin as she pulled open the door and stepped inside.

  They strode in the long hall that had doors on both sides all the way down the hall and an opening to a stairwell at the end. It was some kind of dorm.

  Suddenly a small girl appeared at the end of the hall stepping out of the stairwell and smiled at Robin. That kid has a lot to learn, thought Richard. An older boy appeared and grabbed her arm, giving them a worried look as he pulled her back and they heard the sound of footsteps running upstairs.

  “That’s them,” said Robin. “They’re cornered, it’s perfect.” She strode down the hall with the confidence of someone who knew they were not only in charge but they were about to inspire fear in a small group of deserving people. Richard followed behind her from a short distance trying to give himself room to run if it became necessary. His phone buzzed and he looked down to see a tweet from Davey.

  Robin had paid Parrish to take care of Richard, it read. She was done with him. Parrish was going to complete the job unless Richard came up with an alternate ending first.

  Richard almost dropped his phone. It didn’t matter how any of this turned out, he was still finished. He was glad he hadn’t flinched when Davey had said that it was a delicate job and would cost him a thousand dollars if he wanted to be kept in the loop.

  Robin was right, he would never even hear Parrish coming and he couldn’t be sure where it would happen. There has to be another way, he thought, his mind racing.
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  They started to climb the wide, metal stairs to the second floor.

  “There are children up there,” said Richard. “He wasn’t sure he really cared but maybe Robin was a woman after all. She grunted and kept moving.

  Suddenly, Wallis Jones appeared at the top of the stairs.

  “You came for this,” she said, holding out a little race car in the palm of her hand. “Then go get it,” she yelled, and threw it over their heads. It clattered against the far wall and slid down behind the stairs. Robin looked genuinely surprised and wavered a moment between pointing her gun at Wallis or running downstairs for the prize.

  She chose the thumb drive and pushed Richard out of the way.

  “I can’t trust you,” she spit out, as she planted her pointed red fingernails in his chest. He didn’t even think about what he was doing. He reached out and shoved her forward with all of his might letting out a high pitched whine. Her sensible shoes slid against the metal step and she fell forward, head first, taking flight toward the opposite wall.

  Her head made a satisfying crack as she made contact with the cement blocks and she slid down, landing squarely atop the thumb drive. She had it at last even if she was never going to know it. There was a slimy trail of blood and brain tissue that marked her descent.

  Richard ran down the stairs and felt for a pulse. He wanted to be sure she was dead before he reached under the squishy belly for the race car.

  “Ding, dong the witch is dead,” he sang, as he grimaced and rolled her back a little to see where the race car was buried. Robin’s eyes were still open with a look of frozen amazement. “At last,” said Richard. He let her go and watched her flop back into place.

  “I’ll take that.”

  He looked up to see the older woman from earlier standing only a few stairs from him holding a gun.

  “Does every bitch around here carry a gun?” he pleaded.

  “It may be the company you’ve been keeping,” said Elizabeth. “Hand it over or I shoot. Three, two, one.” She pulled the trigger and grazed the side of his head. Richard felt his pants warm and a trickle run down his leg as his bladder let go of its contents.