by Diane Capri
Sybil swore that only something as formidable as an earthquake could stop her crazed and obsessed daughter. If the beam had not fallen when it had, and where, Norma might have succeeded in killing her and Piper.
Piper had another theory about what happened that night. In part, she agreed with Sybil. She had seen that savage look in Norma Knoller’s eyes. The beam’s timely descent, in her opinion, was nothing short of a miracle, but the hand was guided not my God, but another. Piper didn’t believe in guardian angels—until that night. She didn’t tell anyone about the apparition that had hovered over her when Norma was squeezing the life out of her and again when the knife blade was poised to plunge into her throat. No one would believe her. They’d say she had been hallucinating. But she saw what she saw and she believed.
“I saw them. I did,” Nana Ruth told her that day in the clover patch.
“I know, Nana. I know.”
EPILOGUE
In the black-and-white scene unfolding on the pearlescent screen of the small theater in Beverly Hills, Sybil Squire’s flawless features literally glowed in the close-up. Young, beautiful, those pale blue eyes…
She lifted the lid of the jewelry box. From beneath the small pistol, she slowly lifted the gold locket by the black satin ribbon. She opened the locket and gazed at the tiny photographs inside the oval frames. Tears welled up. Piper waited to hear Sybil deliver those final lines from Black Ribbon.
“Your light has gone out, my shining angels, and soon there’ll be nothing left of you or me. Nothing.”
The music keyed up and the screen darkened from the edges in, forming a circle that gradually swallowed the silver screen until there was only a pinpoint of light in the center. Then it too blinked out with the sharp crack of the gunshot. The credits of Mick Vogt’s, The Greatest Classic: Film Noir, began to crawl up the dark screen.
Sybil’s outstanding performance in Black Ribbon, showcased in the documentary, outshined her real life role as a tragic leading lady. Piper felt proud to have a part in that piece of history.
It all came clear to Piper. Moving next door to Sybil brought the loss of her grandmother, her only remaining family, to the forefront. She had become emotionally involved with Sybil, wanting to help her. To save her when she couldn’t save Nana. In the end, the make-believe world of movies had given her a new family.
Piper thought back to that day with Sybil at poolside. Sybil’s words, “Family is everything. Love cannot thrive on deception and lies. If I had been more like you, my life might have been entirely different… At least your grandmother had you.”
“You have me,” Piper whispered through the lump in her throat. “We have each other.”
A cool, delicate hand pressed on hers. Piper turned to the woman beside her who looked straight ahead at the screen. In the light from the credit scroll, tears glistened in her eyes. A smile on her face.
THE END
#
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About the Author
Amazon bestselling author of the “Night” books, NightWriter Carol Davis Luce writes standalone suspense novels with strong elements of romance. After publishing five books through a traditional publisher, she turned independent author with her 2011 suspense novel, Night Widow, and two short story trilogies.
Her first novel, Night Stalker, was also her first sale. “A dandy read,” wrote bestselling author Tony Hillerman. It went into three printings and became the flagship for the sub-genre “Woman in Jeopardy” at Kensington Publishers.
Suspense novels: Night Stalker, Night Prey, Night Hunter, Night Passage, Night Game, and Night Widow.
Short-story trilogies: Broken Justice and For Better, For Worse.
NEW! Women's Fiction: Awakening: Secrets of a Brown Eyed Girl. This tough, coming-of-age novel is a fictionalized memoir, loosely based on her childhood.
She lives with her husband Bob, and their psycho cat in Sparks, Nevada
http://caroldavisluce.com
http://twitter.com/#!/CarolDavisLuce
http://imagerystudios.com/carol
https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Carol-Davis-Luce/253106338074036
GUARANTEED JUSTICE
THE JUSTICE SERIES
M A COMLEY
Copyright 2012 M A Comley
All Rights Reserved
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This book is dedicated to Nic, thanks for being you; and Sammy, you’ll always be remembered.
PROLOGUE
Linda Carter glanced the handsome onlooker’s way for what must have been the hundredth time. His broad smile beamed back at her.
Abigail’s elbow connected with her ribs. She winced.
“Girl, does he have the hots for you or what?”
“Behave yourself, Abigail.” Linda blushed. She hoped he wouldn’t notice in the dimmed lights of the nightclub.
After another dig in the ribs, she issued her friend a warning glare.
“Oh my God! He’s coming this way,” Abigail said behind her hand.
Before Linda had the chance to look in his direction, she felt his arm slink around her waist and his hot breath heating up her neck.
“Oh my God” is right!
Abigail drifted away through the crowd. Linda and the hunk danced for the next half an hour or so before they moved over to the bar. He bought the drinks while Linda went to the ladies’ to powder her nose.
She returned and downed her drink in one gulp before he eagerly steered her back onto the dance floor. Was it a coincidence that the music tempo changed to a slow number? He held her tightly and rubbed his groin against hers. A tingly sensation took over her body as his kisses burned first her earlobe then her cheek.
His hot breath lingered by her ear, and he whispered, “What do you say we get outta here?”
Linda didn’t need asking twice. He was easily the best-looking guy in the club, and he wanted to leave with her. What more could a girl want? She nervously moistened her lips, then nodded her agreement.
He took her by the hand and led her through the heaving club and the main door. She smiled shyly as he shared a private joke with the doorman.
“Where are we going?” Linda asked sheepishly after they reached his Ferrari.
“Thought we’d go back to my place for a nightcap. Is that all right with you?”
She answered him by jumping in the passenger seat. They engaged in light, flirty conversation for the next ten minutes or so before he guided the car into an underground car park. He applied the handbrake, then slid a lazy hand up her thigh. He lingered at the hem of her mini-skirt for a second or two.
Her eyes automatically clenched shut, and she held her breath, anticipating his next movement.
He surprised her by laughing softly and ran his tongue up her right cheek. Linda shuddered as the excitement stirred.
“Not here. Come on,” he told her, his tone sexy and full of promise.
Linda stumbled from the car as if drunk with happiness when he held the door open for her.
“Oops! Steady girl,” she reprimanded herself, pulling her shoulders back. She giggled and asked, words slurred, “You wicked man. Did you slip an extra voddy in my drink?”
His hand covered his chest, and he innocently fluttered his eyelashes at her. “Moi?”
Then he gripped her elbow, and they moved toward the elevator in the corner. The bell tinged, and the doors slid open. With every passing floor, his kisses became hotter and more urgent, until finally, with Linda gasping for air, the doors opened to an illuminated view of London.
“Wow! You live in a penthouse.” She made her way over to the full-length window, her feet sinking into the luxury carpet beneath.
He stood behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. “Sod the view. I have something crying out for your attention.” His tone was flat.
In a flash he’d turned her to face him. His arms pulled hers behind her. His handsome face had contorted with what appeared to be anger.
Confusion made her ask, “Is something wrong?” Her head swam. Was that the drink or the confusion?
Then she heard a click behind her back and thought she felt cold metal clasp her wrists.
His lips turned up at the corner. “You’ve been begging for this for weeks. Now you’re going to get it.”
Scared, Linda wriggled her arms, trying to release her hands. It dawned on her that they were being restrained by cuffs. “Please, I don’t know what you mean.”
“You know exactly what I mean. Your type take pleasure in leading men on. You prick teaser. Well, I’ll teach you. Take your punishment, or I’ll go after your sister, bitch…”
Linda opened her mouth, but before she got the chance to scream, his mouth roughly claimed hers. His hands tore at the buttons on her silk blouse. Linda squirmed, but his superior strength overpowered her feeble effort.
It wasn’t long before the metallic taste of blood ran between her teeth and down the back of her throat.
His hand thrust up her skirt, and he tore her panties aside. She sucked in a panicked breath.
Everything went black.
#
When Linda Carter regained consciousness, she felt dirty. Disgusted. More so with herself than with the bastard who had raped her.
She was lying in an alley. It took her a while to get her bearings and recognise her surroundings. She heard the drunken revellers leaving the nightclub. Even saw a few of the men relieving themselves against the alley walls before they staggered back out onto the high street.
All of them were oblivious to the fact that Linda was in desperate need of medical care.
Please. Somebody please help me!
The attack was a fuzzy image in her mind. When she ran a cautious hand over her limbs, she flinched at the pain her body was in. Her clothes were torn, and her knickers had been removed.
How could she have put herself in such a dangerous position? One minute she was dancing and enjoying herself on the dance floor with her friend; the next she was being led outside by the charmer who had been eyeing her up all evening. Foolishly and against her better judgement, she had allowed him to entice her to leave the safety of the club.
Why did I go with him? When he started to lead her out of the club her inner voice had warned her to be careful, but blinded by his handsome features and charming nature, she had obstinately refused to listen.
Her legs wobbled beneath her as she tried her hardest to get off the cold, damp ground.
Finally she found the strength, with the aid of the knobbly wall behind her, to successfully hoist herself to her feet. The pain forced her to steady herself for a moment. Once she’d caught her breath she hobbled, inching her way slowly up the length of the alley towards the entrance.
Every time she put her left foot on the ground, the pain from her injured ankle surged up her leg and rattled through her aching body. She winced as she battled through the discomfort.
When she finally reached the opening onto the high street, she raised her hand to hail an approaching taxi. She felt relieved when he pulled to a stop in front of her instead of the drunken group messing around about fifty feet ahead, though the screech of tyres in the dimly lit street jangled her frayed nerves.
“Where to, love?” the driver asked. His eyebrows knitted together as he studied her in his rear-view mirror. When she didn’t answer, he turned in his seat. He inhaled in a startled breath and mumbled, “Jesus... I’m taking you to the hospital, right away.”
That was the night Linda Carter’s life changed forever.
CHAPTER ONE
“My God! Is she all right?” Fiona sank into the worn leather sofa as she listened to the ward sister on the phone, giving news about Fiona’s sister Linda.
Her Chinese flatmate, Ami—who had also been woken by the telephone ringing at two in the morning—sat down beside her. She tugged Fiona’s arm. “What is it? Has something happened to Linda?”
Both women wore their towelling robes, still half asleep.
“Shhh... Wait a minute... Sorry. Please go on.” She felt the colour drain from her cheeks, and her mind raced as she chewed over the information the nurse was giving her. She grabbed Ami’s hand and nestled it in her lap.
Ami rested her cheek on her shoulder, and Fiona heard her let out a long sigh.
Words caught in Fiona’s throat. “May I come in and see her?”
“Maybe in the morning. We’ve just given her a sedative to help calm her down. Her ankle is broken, so she’ll need to go for surgery tomorrow afternoon,” the ward sister replied.
“I understand. I’ll have to clear it with my boss, but I’ll try to get there first thing. If she’s still awake, tell her I love her and that I’m thinking of her.”
“Of course. Try to get some sleep and try not to worry too much. Your sister is safe with us, now.”
Fiona hung up and sobbed uncontrollably—something she hadn’t done in years—for a full five minutes. Ami cried also and held Fiona’s shuddering body tightly in a vice-like grip.
Eventually, Fiona opened up and repeated the information the ward sister had shared. “Oh, Ami. If I had gone with her tonight, this would never have happened. If I hadn’t been so involved with my blasted paperwork...”
“You can’t punish yourself like this. Sometimes things happen that are out of our control. Besides, Linda was supposed to be with her friends, wasn’t she?” Ami consoled her quietly.
“You’re right, of course. I’m not sure what the ins and outs are of what happened, yet. Why or how did she get separated from her friends? It’s so out of character for Linda to go off with someone she met in a club. She’s always been the sensible one. Whatever possessed her to do such a thing?”
Ami shrugged and stood up. “I’ll get us a mug of hot milk. It’ll help us sleep. Linda will need us to be strong for her. She’ll get through this. We’ll make sure she does.” She left the room.
Fresh tears ran down Fiona’s cheeks as her sister’s beautiful face flooded her mind. Please let there be no permanent damage, either physically or mentally. During their childhood, Linda had always been the one to whom the boys had flocked. It hadn’t been surprising when she’d been labelled the most beautiful girl at school. She had endured copious amounts of jealousy from the other girls who’d been cast aside by the boys clambering to make a date with Linda. Fiona had found it all amusing, the way the boys queued up to talk to Linda in the school playground throughout their school years.
Not once had she ever been envious of her sister’s popularity or good looks. It was unthinkable that her sister’s popularity would have led to something as harrowing as the night’s events.
Ami came back with two mugs of warm milk and handed one to Fiona. “She’ll be fine. We’ll make sure of that, hon.”
Shaking her head slowly, Fiona said, “I’m not so sure. She has a fragile spirit. You don’t know her like I do.” Ami’s head dropped onto her chest, and Fiona could have kicked herself for saying something unintentionally unkind. “Sorry. I didn’t mean anything by that. Me and my big mouth.”
Ami raised her angelic Chinese face, and blinked her intense black eyes a few times. “I know you didn’t mean anything by that. Since I moved in, you two have been like sisters to me. I’ve only known you for just over a year, but you both mean the world to me.”
“I’m sorry, Ami. Just ignore me. Linda and I both feel the same way about you, too. Come on, let’s try to get some sleep. You’ve got college tomorrow, and I’ve got to inch my way into my boss’s good books.”
They each went to their respective bedrooms, but sleep evaded Fiona for the rest of the night. Every time her eyes fluttered shut, all she could imagine was Linda being attacked and mauled b
y a faceless brute of a man.
Fiona’s teeth ground together as she thought up ways to exact her revenge, most of which involved using a sharp implement. She shuddered the images away. She knew she could never hurt another human being like that.
The next morning, Fiona rose at seven and jumped in the shower, during which she figured out the telephone conversation she intended to have with her boss at nine to wangle the day off. She had to come up with some plausible excuse. He wasn’t the type to be satisfied with a naff excuse like ‘I’ve got a stinking cold’ or ‘I overslept because the alarm didn’t go off.’ She couldn’t possibly tell him the truth.
When nine o’clock arrived, she swallowed hard and dialled the private line to his office. “Rick? It’s Fiona. I hate to dump this on you first thing, and I know we have an important meeting with corporate clients today, but I need to take the day off.” She closed her eyes, anticipating the barrage of words that would come her way.
“Fiona, I know you well enough by now to know that it must be extremely important for you to take time off on such a significant day. Do what you have to do, and come back soon.”
Wow. His reaction floored her. Maybe Rick had picked up on something in her tone.
Whatever the reason behind his sudden understanding nature, she was extremely grateful. “Hope everything goes well with the Tyler account. I’ll definitely be in tomorrow.”
“It will. You’ve done all the groundwork, anyway. All I have to do is get them to sign the contract. Take as much time as you need, girl.”
“Thanks, Rick. It’s appreciated. Good luck.”
“You too,” he replied, and they both hung up.