Games We Play

by Isabelle Arocho

  “It’s not going to be anywhere near that easy. What exactly did my cousin tell you?”

  “Nothing. Once a bad boy always a bad boy and he doesn’t trust cops no matter how hard I tried to butter him up. We ran the DNA and after matching it up to a relative and calling in some favors we got your real name. It took a little longer to realize Jeffery and Jim was the same son of a bitch my sister fell in love with.” Sasha was baiting him with everything she had and it worked because he was off the focus of Wes’ two timing.

  He took three steps forward and back handed her across the mouth. He had already proved to be a fan of such a slap. “Don’t talk about my momma like that. She was a good woman.”

  “Fat chance. She gave birth to you and there has never been anything good about you.” The next slap had her spitting out blood. “That it? The big bad serial killer doesn’t have another trick up his sleeve? You like to smack girls around just like every abusive husband in the planet because that’s what you are, right? An abusive prick my sister was too stupid to see.” Sasha cried as she thought of all Carolyn’s mistakes and got angry over the fact Jim had been in her life for so many years because of her sister. Caro died never knowing the truth of the damage she caused and now it was too late to ever repair it.

  “You’ve always been jealous she loved me more than she ever loved you. You were just the thing her parents left behind. She always told me she wished you were in the car with them that night.” Jim hadn’t evaded the cops for twenty years without being smart and knowing just how to get his way and right now he wanted her to hurt.

  Sasha still felt too sick to let his words bother her even if she always suspected they were true. Her stomach rolled with nausea and the taste of blood in her mouth only added to the sour feeling. “What did you give me?” she finally looked at Wes just before her eyes fell closed again.

  The diner was empty except for FBI and the Sheriff’s department. Besides Carter Wesley there was a waitress working that night and she hadn’t seen a thing. “Speaking of,” Sheriff Deacon Howard began. “Where is Wes?”

  Wayne answered. “He’s also missing and was last seen going to the storage room for more glasses.”

  “Was he also taken by Jim as some form of revenge for him ratting?” the sheriff only arrived on the scene a few moments ago and was trying to play catch up.

  “No.” Nick growled.

  Pete was there by his side laying a hand on his shoulder to remind him to take it easy. “Your idea is very possible.” Pete said to the sheriff. “We’re also working with the theory Wes might’ve taken her himself. A food van was seen leaving the parking lot by a man that may have been Wes. All our agents were supplied with only a picture of Jim. Until now Wes hadn’t given us a reason to be suspicious.”

  Nick didn’t agree. “He’s been too close to this from the very start. All the coincidences create a pattern.” He walked away to let Pete fill in the sheriff however he chose. Outside the diner was a shell of how it looked an hour earlier, there were no more cars and loud music blaring from inside the establishment. There was no more happiness and a good time.

  He knew it was a bad idea to let her go off by herself and instead of following his gut he tried to avoid an argument and let her call the shots. Now she was in the hands of one of the most sadistic killers the team has ever encountered and more than that there was a personal grudge between the two that very well could get Sasha killed tonight instead of a few days later like the signature 7Xs liked to follow.

  He cursed and tunneled his fingers through his hair as he paced. This was such a mess and if they all survived to fight another day another mess would be waiting. Their jobs were created to jump feet first into this type of work. Nick wasn’t sure if he could share Sasha with the job anymore and not worry about her every second on the field.

  Nick wasn’t the only one suffering with fear for Sasha. Gage wasn’t fairing much better with his best friend missing. “Any ideas?”

  Nick stopped pacing and faced the other man. “There’s tons of ideas but no results. What’s going on in there?”

  “A lot of the same. We have to figure out what Wes and Jim have in common and where they’d go together.”

  “You believe they’re working together?”

  “Expect the worse and hope for the best. If he is or isn’t the objective is the same and that’s to find Sasha. We know for sure Jim is involved and that’s enough of a lead to follow. Everything in both of his names has been searched and disregarded.”

  Nick rubbed at his chin. “What about Carolyn’s name?

  Gage met Nick’s eyes and had one of those light bulbs going on moments. “From what we know she was clueless about many things in her husband’s life. It’s worth a shot.” They ran back in the diner to Gage’s laptop together.

  Chapter 30

  Sasha was nearly passed out on the dirty basement floor that appeared to be made out of dirt. She was clutching her arm sure it was broken. She chuckled weakly and wondered if she had baited Jim just a little too much? Nah, she didn’t think so. She was pissing him off on purpose because all his anger was going to lead to a mistake and that mistake was going to lead Nick and the rest of the guys right to finding her in this damn dirty hellhole.

  She braced her foot on the floor and turned from her side onto her back. The shift in position eased some of the discomfort in her arm but it wasn’t saying much because the bone felt like it had been sawed in half.

  She would’ve been shot Jim several times in the face but he and Wes took her guns while she was passed out the first time. It was too bad criminals were getting so smart and keeping up with the bureau’s hidden tricks.

  The door—a regular household door used on bedrooms—opened and Wes came to kneel next to her. The first thing she noticed was her gun tucked in his jeans. “Does it hurt?” he asked.

  “No, it tickles.” Sasha made up her mind that she wasn’t going to be scared in front of her captors. If they wanted fear well they were shit out of luck because all her fear was staying tucked away where only she knew. “What’s your game in all this? You’re pulling one over on Jim and I know it’s not for my benefit.”

  Wes leaned down until their noses nearly touched. “Who says? I’m going to help you.” His revelation wasn’t nearly as surprising as what he did next. His hand came around her cheek and held her in place as he kissed her. “I’ve been wanting to do that since Candy introduced us. I loved her and everything I’ve told you is the truth.” The look in his eyes seemed real but Sasha wasn’t sure what to believe anymore.

  “Where’s Jim?”

  “Gathering supplies and no I’m not too sure what that means. Come on, let me help you up.” Wes moved his hands under her arms and hauled her into a sitting position before up on her feet. Her legs cried out in protest as the numbness stung through her muscles but she managed to stay up right.

  “If you’re really some hero how did you get involved with Jim? Why did you drug me and take me to him?” Sasha had thought about it over and over and Jim hadn’t been at the diner, he was at this place waiting for her to be delivered. “Does he have something on you?”

  “We have to get moving.”

  Sasha played up the sick routine and when he reached for her again she pulled her gun free from the waist of his pants and aimed it at his heart. “Start talking or I’m going to shoot you and leave you to bleed out on this floor. I don’t know about you but I don’t want to die here.”

  Wes hastily looked back toward the door out of fear Jim would be back any second. “I have a six year old daughter and he knows where to find her. He showed up at the diner before my shift tonight and told me if I didn’t get you to him he’d kill her. If he suspected I’m the one who led you to his door he would’ve killed me by now.”

  “And that’s why you were trying to spin what I said as a lie.”

  “You realized something was going on and changed the subject before he could figure it out and kill us both. Thank
you.”

  “Don’t thank me yet, I’m not sure if I’m ready to start believing you again.”

  “Hold on to the gun then but please for the love of god can we get out of this fucking room?” Wes’ composure was crumbling by the minute. Maybe he was telling the truth after all.

  “Lead the way, I can keep up.” Her nausea and shaking limbs felt steadier with the weight of her gun in her hand.

  Out of the basement Sasha realized they were in some sort of house in the middle of construction and that explained why the basement had no floor but a dirt one.

  Wes wasn’t a regular Joe citizen and used all his Army training to his benefit. He moved slowly through the staircase up to the main floor of the house and around another hallway. They heard the footsteps at the same time and Wes motioned for her to stay back.

  “Why aren’t you keeping an eye on that bitch like I told you to?” Jim asked, she heard the sound of keys and a plastic shopping bag being put down onto a surface. A table or counter.

  “She’s passed out again.” Wes answered, and nothing in his tone gave his true intentions away.

  “What did you give her? It’s been almost two hours and still she’s a mess.”

  “My hand must’ve gone.”

  “Instead of giving her too much you should’ve drugged them both like I wanted. I told you I needed a couple and they were the ones I wanted. If I don’t get her partner and he ends up causing trouble you’re going to go in his place.” Every time Sasha thought her hate for Jim couldn’t run deeper he proved her wrong.

  Wes tried to explain. “It was too much of a risk. If they both started feeling sick they would’ve noticed something was wrong and went on alert.” He was correct with his reasoning. “Why a couple? Why not just seven random people you can get your hands on?”

  “You know why or are you going to play dumb? You know what happened to my mom outside that very diner you work at. You know what your problem is, Wes? You don’t know loyalty. Do you think I’m stupid? Answer me.” Jim’s voice took on the cold edge Sasha heard so clearly over the phone when he learned the truth about her ruse.

  “What? No, I don’t think you’re stupid.”

  “You must just like your daddy used to because you think you can fool me. I’ve been watching Sasha since the moment her sister told me the truth about her being in town in Maggie’s place. I know about every time you spoke to the cops.”

  “Yeah they questioned me but I didn’t tell them anything.”

  “You’re still trying to fool me and I fucking hate when people do that.”

  Sasha tensed at the sound of the shotgun being cocked and before she could register a thought to do something a fire was shot. Silent tears moved down her cheeks as she looked for a way out before he came any closer.

  Jim was blood thirsty and she was next, whatever he had planned wasn’t going to be as clean cut as what he did to Wes.

  “Sasha.” Jim sang out her name. “I know my no good cousin was double crossing me and how his noble heart works. He was trying to get you out of here and that’s why he was in the kitchen. Where are you?”

  She moved backward farther from the kitchen and into what was going to be a back bedroom. The sheetrock frames were in place but hollow. Carefully she moved through them and hoped to find the front of the house.

  “Sasha….Sasha…come on out, let’s play.” His voice neared closer.

  She knelt down behind a large tool cart and aimed her gun in front of her as best as she could with one working arm. If she wasn’t able to get out of the house then she was going to shoot him dead but either way this had to end now. Wes’ death couldn’t be for nothing. She wished with all her heart she would’ve believed him sooner.

  “Do you want to know what your sister’s last words were?” the baited was trying to become the baiter.

  Sasha kept all her concentration on the sound of his footsteps and the sound of his voice but not necessary his words. You’re not going to win this one Jim, she thought with her trigger finger steady. She nearly cried out in relief at the sound of sirens nearing closer. She had no idea where they were in town but possibly someone heard the shot blast and called the cops.

  “You think that’s for you? No! This isn’t going to end when you want it to. Do you know what she said? Come out Sasha, we both know you want to. You don’t want me arrested in a jail cell while Caro is six feet deep. She begged but not for her own life, she begged for the life of the baby she always wanted.” Jim knew exactly how to play the game and torture his prey. There was something in his voice that made her believe what he said about Carolyn. His cold manner took too much joy in the memory of her begging.

  Sasha stood and swung her gun to where she heard him waiting. “You’re right; I do want you dead so come out and let’s finish this long fight. I’ve wanted you dead since I’m eleven years old. You’ve always thought you were so smart.” She edged closer to the door as her salvation came closer. The sirens were as close as they could get in the driveway and soon running footsteps joined the sound.

  “We’ll finish this, I promise. But not yet.” He took off running to the back of the house.

  “No!”

  The front door was kicked open. “Sasha?”

  “He’s getting away! He’s headed toward the back yard.”

  Nick holstered his weapon and reached for her. “We have guys going after him right now. Are you ok?”

  “No.” her cries came faster. “He killed Wes after he used him for what he wanted. We tried to get away but it didn’t work and he paid the price.”

  Nick ushered her outside and with the aid of the car headlights he saw just how bad her wounds went. Dry blood was caked on the side of her face, a black eye was forming on the left side of her face, and she was cradling her arm tight to her chest.

  A female EMT came running to her side as they stepped off the porch steps. “I think it’s broken.” Sasha told the other woman as her partner went past them into the house to find Wes’ body.

  “We’ll get you all taken care of.” The EMT took Nick’s spot beside Sasha and led her over to the ambulance.

  Nick refused to go anywhere and sat beside her in the ambulance.

  Sasha leaned into his chest and felt safe knowing he was this close. “You’re missing the chance to cuff the big bad.” Before this life changing case they would’ve both been fighting to catch the perp first and take the win.

  “I’d rather be here with you.” Nick found the one spot on her forehead with no blood and kissed her.

  Gage slapped his hand on the side of the ambulance. “We got him.”

  Chapter 31

  It was early into the evening of the following day when Sasha was able to keep her eyes open for longer than a few minutes at a time. When she got to the hospital last night they pumped her with a new round of drugs to operate on her arm which was indeed broken in two different places.

  Jim was locked away behind bars and that made it a good day. Seeing Nick asleep in the chair across from her bed made it an even better one. He was far too tall but that didn’t stop him twisting into a position where he could rest his legs over the arm rest and his head back on the wall. If she had a camera it was definitely a picture she’d take.

  Laying back against the pillows Sasha reflected on the past twenty four hours. Jim was locked up like he belonged and Wes had survived the blast to his chest. Sasha remembered crying with relief to hear he didn’t die there on that half constructed kitchen floor. Jim had no more victims to call his.

  Sasha was pleasantly surprised to see Marla Gregory coming into the room holding a large vase of pink flowers. “I paid a nurse in OB to hijack these.” The US Marshal grinned and set the flowers down on the food table.

  “That explains why they’re so pink. What are you doing here?”

  “I want to personally escort Jim Carson to stand a capital trial and to personally thank you. We all had high hopes for this mission but to see it over and our guy locked a
way where he can’t hurt another is a blessing only dreamt of.”

  “I never thought when I agreed to this because I wanted the big win attached to my name the unsub would turn out to be my brother in law.”

  “I’m sorry about your sister.”

  “Me too.” It wasn’t happening yet but Sasha hoped for a day she could open her eyes and feel some sort of acceptance that Carolyn was gone and never coming back, that no amount of guilt was going to change anything.

  A moment of silence passed between both women for all the lives that were lost at Jim’s hand.

  Marla nodded toward Nick still asleep in the chair. “I heard he hasn’t left your side. Life and death situations have a way of changing a person’s perspective.”

  “I guess so.”

  “If you’re worried about the job becoming a problem let me tell you from experience it’s much better to come home to someone who understands what its like out there and that knows sometimes a little silence doesn’t hurt.”

  “Any advice?”

  “Yeah, don’t let business and personal mix. When you’re home leave the job outside the door waiting in the driveway and when you’re at the office or in the field remember you’re both trained for this and can handle it. I have to get going to lockup. You take it easy Sasha, we’ll speak again soon.” Marla waved goodbye and closed the hospital room door on her way out.

  Nick groaned as he swung his legs off the chair. “She had some pretty good ideas.”

  “You were awake?”

  “If I don’t notice when someone enters a room or starts talking three feet from me I should seriously hand back in my creds. Shit, these chairs were designed for torture.” Nick stood and rubbed his lower back and shook out each of his legs.