~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Her heart pounding, every nerve in her body sparking, Colleen stared at the door. Scott had stopped screaming, and he'd also stopped trying the handle. It was terrifyingly quiet. She heard a scraping sound, then suddenly the doorknob fell off and the door burst open.
He was bigger than life.
Cut up, bleeding, and holding the long blade in front of him, he looked like a villainous monster from a horror film.
He charged towards her.
Taking aim at his face, she squirted the foam.
The blue liquid shot from the nozzle in a sharp stream, hitting its target.
But he didn't stop coming at her. With his eyes squeezed shut he lunged forward, slicing the air with the knife.
Suddenly, the loud chiming of a cell phone rang through the air.
Scott's phone.
It made him pause for a split second.
It was all the time Colleen needed.
Darting forward, she kicked him between the legs.
Letting out a howl of pain he dropped to the floor.
Leaping over him, she ran from the bathroom to find Tony running towards her.
"Tony!" she exclaimed falling into his arms.
"My, God. Are you okay?"
"Uh-huh."
As he hurried her back to the kitchen, the sound of sirens filled the air.
"The gate code," she muttered. "I forgot to give the police the gate code. How did they get in?"
"Frank. He called me. He was on his way here. They must have been waiting to—"
A loud howl cut him off, and as their eyes looked back towards the apartment, they saw Scott storming towards them.
His handsome face had been transformed into a grotesque blue and red mask, and he was flailing his arms as he rushed forward. Pushing Colleen behind him, Tony reached above his head and grabbed a large iron pan from the hanging pot rack. As Scott lunged at him, Tony ducked back his lower body to avoid the knife, and with all the force he could muster, he slammed the heavy pan down on Scott's head.
The sound of the impact echoed through the kitchen, and crumpled at Tony's feet, Scott was motionless.
Dropping the pot on the island, Tony turned and threw his arms around Colleen. They were still clinging to each other when the police, guns drawn, entered the room.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Tony and Colleen were moved into the front living room, and Frank stayed with them to give them support and help settle their nerves. Though Scott was unconscious he was still alive, and an ambulance was called to whisk him away. A short time later, Detective Joe Forman arrived, and after a quick report from one of the officers, he sat down to take their statements.
"He was a bad actor," the detective declared after hearing their stories. "I don't know how you two managed to get the better of him, but I'm glad you did. He'll be locked up until he's an old man, and from the look of all those cuts on his face, I doubt he'll be a pretty boy anymore."
"What happens now?" Colleen asked.
"It's a long process, but you needn't worry. His days of harm and havoc are over. The young woman he's been victimizing was extremely forthcoming. A number of criminals will be caught in the net. I'd better be on my way. The District Attorney's office will be in touch at some point, but as I said, it's a long process."
"I'll walk you to the door," Tony said, rising to his feet.
"No need. You folks catch your breath. I'll be in touch."
As the detective strode from the room, Tony put his arm around Colleen and let out a heavy sigh.
"I don't know what I would have done if he'd hurt you. I never thought I'd be capable of murder, but—"
"Don't go there," she said softly. "Just be glad it's over. Thank God his phone rang. Whoever called him had impeccable timing."
"That was me."
"What?"
"We got his phone number, remember? At the time I said it might come in handy, but I never imagined it would be for anything like this."
"What happened?" Frank asked. "What phone call?"
"When I came racing down the stairs, it occurred to me if Scott's phone rang it might stop him for a minute. You'd told me where they were, and I made the call as I was running through the dining room to the kitchen. Sometimes precious seconds can make a difference."
"And they did!" Colleen exclaimed. "Scott did stop. It was only for a split second, but that's all I needed to kick him where I knew it would hurt the most."
"That's incredible," Frank declared. "You two make quite the team, but how are you? Is there anything you need? Anything I can do?"
"I'm not tired anymore," Tony replied. "I think the adrenalin rush took care of the effects of that Dramamine, but I sure as hell need a long hot shower."
"Me too," Colleen said. "I feel so grimy."
"I'll leave you two alone. Just one thing. When I called Chelsea and told her what happened, she was so relieved she literally broke down on the phone. She didn't think Scott would ever be caught."
"Once she's better we should have her over for dinner," Colleen suggested. "Poor thing. Being at the mercy of that monster must have been horrifying. Uh, Frank, I don't mean to pry, but are you two becoming an item?"
"She has a lot of healing to do, but I really like her. She beat me at poker last night."
"How the heck did she do that," Tony exclaimed, "or are you kidding around?"
"Not at all. I told her it was beginner's luck, but I was lying," he said with a chuckle. "She could go places. I can't wait to play her again. Anyway, you two take it easy, and if you need me, call."
"Wait. I have that meeting for the lakefront development at three o'clock. I want you to be there."
"You're not still going to that, are you?" Colleen said, completely aghast.
"There's no reason I shouldn't. I'm fine, and getting back to work is the best thing I can do. You can come too, if you want."
"That's why you're so successful," Frank remarked. "You forge ahead no matter what. You can count on me."
"Great. I'll meet you in the office at two-thirty. That will give us plenty of time to drive out there."
"I'll see you there. Bye, Colleen."
"Bye, Frank. And thanks for everything."
"Now we have another problem," Tony said as Frank left. "I won't be able to sleep in my room."
"I feel the same, but you have other bedrooms to choose from. Huh. An idea just popped into my head. Why don't you knock out the wall between that master suite and the bedroom next to it, and make your current bedroom into a living area?"
"I like it. I like it a lot."
"Turn the bathroom into a kitchenette, so you can get up in the morning and have your coffee right there."
"Like a hotel suite."
"Exactly. It would completely change the feel of the space."
"Colleen, you're genius. Will you oversee it?"
"Uh, did you forget I have a cosmetics company to run?"
"At least be involved. Work with the designer and me."
"I can do that, and I'd love to."
"You know what I'd love?" he said, lowering his voice. "If you moved in here."
"I can't think of anything that would make me happier."
"Great. Tomorrow we'll collect your things and figure out what to do with your furniture."
"I'll just lease the house with the furniture included. That's easy."
"Lease?"
"The area is developing like crazy. I want to hold on to it for a couple of years. I'll make a bunch of money."
"Good plan. Do you want to come to the meeting at Blue Snake Lake? You might find it interesting."
"I'm going to my office. In addition to everything else, I have a high-end product line to develop. Whether Harrods wants me or not, I love the idea."
"I'll see you back here later then. You have an appointment over my knee. A serious one."
"Why?
"Why do you think?"
Feeling the surge of butt
erflies, and the hot flush flame across her face, Colleen leaned her head against his shoulder.
"Because I called Frank and the police, but not you."
"Correct."
"But I was worried. In the state you were in, Scott could have killed you."
"Give me a little credit. I wouldn't have staggered in waving my arms around."
"What if you'd had a sudden dizzy spell?"
"You can't live in the—what if—world. It's no-man's land. If you're ever in trouble again you call me first, and that, young lady, is an order."
"I will. I promise," she said with a twinkle in her eye. "What you say goes. You're the boss."
"And don't you forget it."
"I'll never forget it, but I might put my toe in the water to make sure every now and then."
"Any time, cutie pie. Any time."
EPILOGUE
Detective Joe Forman had been preparing himself for battle. Scott had been able to avoid the law for many years, and Joe assumed the young, but seasoned criminal, would be less than forthcoming. With a public defender in attendance, Joe stood over Scott's bed and solemnly recited the Miranda rights, then placed him under arrest for a long list of crimes.
"Gary Rhodes, do you understand the rights I have just read to you? With these rights in mind, do you wish to speak to me?" he finished.
"I want to hear what you have to say first, and call me Scott. I hate that other name."
"Then I'll get right to the point," Joe said solemnly. "The DNA recovered from the jewelry in your trophy box matched seven victims, missing or murdered. We've recovered a garage full of stolen goods, busted your partner Winston Harris, your drug supplier Leroy Smith, otherwise known as Smitty, and Thomas Parker, known on the street as Glamboy. They're singing like canaries to save their own skins. Looks like you're going down. A long way down."
"I should never have let that fucking Chelsea out of my sight," Scott muttered. "I knew she was on the edge, and she'd always been difficult. But the smart ones are, you know what I mean Joe?"
"Yeah, Scott. I know what you mean," Joe said, humoring him. "Not that you'll have to worry about that now."
Scott was quiet for a moment, then let out a sigh.
"Okay. You got me. Give me my choice of a prison and I'll tell you anything you want to know. I'm sure you'd like to hear where the bodies are buried."
Joe couldn't believe it, and once Scott began talking he didn't want to stop. He was immensely proud of his life of crime, and in spite of his lawyer's warnings, he took great pleasure in boasting about his many nefarious achievements. He was also thrilled with his new found status.
"You wouldn't believe the mail I've been getting," he exclaimed. "I'm a fuckin' rock star. I could have a fuckin' harem working for me."
It had been a long, painful interview, and wondering why monsters like Scott were born into the world, Joe left the room. But he was confident Gary Rhodes would spend the remainder of his days behind bars. The victims and their families would get their justice.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
As Chelsea continued to recover, Frank played poker with her at every opportunity. He'd worked with bright, talented hopefuls, but he'd never met anyone, man or woman, who had such a natural gift for the game. She had a unique way of creating false tells, and to his immense frustration he kept falling for them. When she was over the flu, he invited four of his skilled poker-playing friends to join them for a friendly game, but warned them that a young woman would be part of the group, and they'd be gambling with chips, not money.
"How much fun will this be?" she exclaimed when he gave her the news. "I can't wait, but I know why you're doing this."
"Really? And why is that?"
"You want to find out if you've lost your touch."
He laughed out loud. But he'd been doing that more than usual. She had a quick wit and always tickling his funny bone.
"I haven't lost anything, but I do want to see if you're as good as I think you are."
She was, and the evening confirmed his belief she had the talent to become a successful pro.
But there was another issue.
She'd been talking about finding a job and moving out.
Each time she brought it up, he'd find reasons why she should stick around a while longer. One evening over dinner, she told him the owners of The Caramel Apple were interested in having her return as a Tarot Card Reader on a permanent basis. They saw her as one of Scott's unfortunate victims, and customers had been asking for her.
"I can make some decent money. They only want me there at night, but I can probably get a job at the Crystal Wand during the day. They've had a sign in their window that they're hiring. I had to learn about Tarot Cards. I'm sure I can persuade them that I'd be perfect for that place. I'll be able to support myself in no time."
"Chelsea, you could sell snow to people who live on the south pole, but are you sure you want to do that? Working two jobs is rough, and you're not really a psychic."
"I kind of am," she said softly. "Just like you are."
"I'm not sure about that. We just have sharp instincts. You know finding a decent place that's affordable will take time. There's no rush."
"Frank," she said, lowering her voice and staring at him intently, "why don't you say what you really mean."
"Fine," he exclaimed, rising abruptly from his chair. "I don't want you to leave. There. I've said it."
"And so romantically," she quipped, rolling her eyes.
"You want romance?" he said, grinning down at her. "I'll give you romance!"
Grabbing her hand, he yanked her to her feet, placed an arm around her waist, and pulled her into his body.
"I'm crazy about you. I want you here in this house with me. I want to teach you how to play, really play, and I want you to be a star. My star."
"Frank…"
"Yeah?"
"You're my hero, and I'm crazy about you too, but I can't keep living off you."
"This is what we're going to do. I'm taking you to a game. A real game. I'll sponsor you, and you'll walk out with more money than you could make in a month spreading those cartoon cards of yours across a table. How does that sound?"
"It sounds amazing, but I'm not agreeing to anything until you kiss me."
"If I kiss you, babe, we'll end up in my room."
"Exactly."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
A short time after moving into Tony's house, Colleen stumbled across the painting, photograph and candles Tony had bought from The Crystal Wand. They were in the closet of a room she was planning to make her work space. When he returned home, before she could ask him what he wanted to do with them, he lifted her off her feet and spun her around.
"What's going on?" she squealed as he maneuvered her over his shoulder. "Tony! What are you doing?"
"I have much news!"
Marching into the nearest guest room, he tossed her on the bed and began stripping off his clothes.
"I take it this is the way you want to celebrate."
"One of the ways. When I've finished with you, we're off to The French Tart."
"I love it. So tell me!" she insisted, pulled off her sweater over her head.
"First, Blue Snake Lake."
"Finally. Why have you been so secretive about what happened at that meeting?"
"I didn't want to tell you until I got the thumbs up. I'm building a hotel and I've decided that's going to be my focus going forward. Hotels."
"Seriously?"
"Yep. I been thinking about it for a long time," he said, sliding her slacks down her legs. "Allin is going all in."
"That's mind-boggling."
"Mind boggling is my forte. The way I see it, we can spend our lives christenings all the rooms."
"That's hilarious," she said, giggling as he peeled off her panties.
"Ready for the next bit of great news?"
"I'm not sure. I'm still trying to wrap my brain around you being the next Conrad Hilton. You wil
l be. You know that, right? Everything you touch turns to gold."
"If it doesn't, you can support us."
"I can? And just how do you figure that?"
"Because, cutie pie, Kiss Me Cosmetics is going to be in Harrods."
A hot lump flamed to life in the back of her throat, and she stared up at him with wide, astonished eyes.
"It's true," he said softly. "I received an email just as I was leaving the office."
"I can't believe it. I thought I was excited when Bob Harrison gave us everything we wanted for his boutiques. I can't even begin to describe how I feel. It's almost too much."
"There's no such thing as too much good news," he whispered, removing her bra as he nuzzled her neck. "This means we're going back to London, and this time it will be planned, I'm blocking out several days."
"Tony, this just incredible."
"So are you," he purred, moving his lips to her breasts.
"Can you hit the pause button for a second."
"I'm not sure," he said huskily, sliding his cock inside her.
"Ooh, never mind, it can wait."
"Now you've got me curious. What is it?"
"I found that stuff you bought at the Crystal Wand today, and it got me thinking. So much happened in this house. It's still icky going into that kitchen. Rather than renovate, why don't you sell this place? We're starting a new life together. Let's do it in a new home. Our home."
"Funny thing," he said softly. "I've had the same inkling. I'd planned to bring it up over dinner. My realtor called me about a house that overlooks the lake. It's a distress sale. It not that much further into town, and it will be closer to the development."
"I love it out there."
"It has a guest house that would be a perfect studio for you. Let's take a run out there tomorrow and take a look."
"Tony, I'd love that."
"I'll leave that Crystal Wand stuff here, except for the photograph. I've been meaning to take that into the office. I want it in the conference room."
BOSS_His Wealth. His Power. His Demands. Page 16