Microsoft Word - RecklessBounty

by test

  “I love and admire you for your determination, but let it go, Samantha. I’m a lost cause.

  I’m not good enough for you. You’ll be better off without me. You and Johanna should be able to live a life without having to worry about my past coming back to haunt me. Before you came along, Dylan had the task of taking care of my ass, and for once, I’ll take care of myself if you don’t mind.”

  “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! ” 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!”

  RECKLESS BOUNTY Marly Mathews 158

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

  “If you do it’s over between us. 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 just don’t know how I keep loving someone that can be such a twit!”

  “Yes. But you love me all the more for all of those lovely qualities, and you like it when I make you scream, especially when you’re screaming for more,” he said, his green eye twinkling.

  “Shut up, pretty boy. 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, lover boy, 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.

  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 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 RECKLESS BOUNTY Marly Mathews 159

  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 didn’t do anything with her, so I wasn’t worried.”

  “I wondered if you had cheated on me, but as soon as I saw the look of love in your eyes, I knew that you could never betray me. And that is why I know for sure that you didn’t murder her. You know what I think of people that do something so terrible, and you wouldn’t break my heart. 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 together, and I won’t let you down!”

  “I know you won’t,” 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.

  “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.”

  “Oh, Tyler,” Samantha murmured, moving closer to him, she molded her lips against his.

  She fell into his arms, and decided that as long as she had life left in her, there would be a way to prove he was innocent. 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. There was truth in their love, and 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, and if she did, then her life would be over. Truly over! And there would be no more Samantha Cassidy.

  * * * *

  Samantha rolled to her other side searching for Tyler’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 RECKLESS BOUNTY Marly Mathews 160

  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. 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!” 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 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 my husband, if that meets your approval. How the hell did Devlin get away with taking Tyler? You shouldn’t have let them go! I thought you had sway over the man.” 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. 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. Johanna, you shouldn’t have let him go. It was your greed that got him into this mess in the first place. Hey you, Red, why RECKLESS BOUNTY Marly Mathews 161

  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! Just for your information, I did get in contact with Devlin, but he sounded so damn miserable I didn’t have the heart. 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 can’t stand each other. 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 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! 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, but then she hadn’t married him for his brains, or his looks. She’d married him for his heart. And she had to make sure that it didn’t stop beating before she cleared his name.

  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 movi
ng.

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

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

  “Samantha, we’ve watched this footage nearly a thousand times,” Dylan said, sighing RECKLESS BOUNTY Marly Mathews 162

  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 The Impostor doing?” she demanded, looking expectantly at all of them.