Provoked

by Angela Ford

  “How did you meet Darek?”

  “At the brownstone, he said he’d followed the three women home. I found him lurking the halls, one night. Before I could even ask him what he was doing there, he proposed a solution to the drug operation I’d been so desperate to end. Don’t ask me how the hell he knew. He just did.”

  Riley figured Darek must have been in New York longer than they’d thought. He probably had been following Basia and him, too.

  “What about Beth? Did you murder her like you told me?”

  Adam shook his head.

  “Darek did. I cleaned up the mess in the basement. But he made me take her body and dump it, or he threatened to ruin the bestseller. It was hard. I liked Beth. She was always kind to me.”

  This man had suffered enough. Riley wanted to help him. He needed help but he didn’t need to be behind bars.

  “Adam, will you help me? I’ll see if I can get you some help without keeping you behind bars.” Adam looked up with a confused expression.

  “Trust me, Adam. I do want to help. I’m not Darek or those boys back at school. I’m one of the good ones. I need your help and I want to help you. I need you to write down what happened to the other two girls, Beth’s friends; and where we can find their bodies. Trust me. Your book will still sell because it’s still based on real-life murders.”

  Adam agreed with a nod.

  Riley checked his phone for messages after he left Adam, not one from Basia. She’d promised to call when she got home. He dialed her number and it went directly to voicemail. His heart began to race. Quickly he called Kennedy.

  “Briggs, how did it go with Adam?”

  “Good. He’s in. I tried Basia’s phone and it went straight to voicemail. She promised to call once she settled at home. She hasn’t called. I’m a little worried. Can you check in with the officers stationed at her building? I’m going to try Mark at the security desk in her building.”

  Riley hadn’t the time or the focus at the moment to fill Kennedy in about the Adam situation. Adam had agreed to help lure Darek in, but what worried Riley is that he may not have to. His worst fear raced through his thoughts: Darek had found his way to Basia.

  “On it and I’ll meet you at Basia’s building.”

  Riley thanked him and disconnected their call. He called Mark next.

  “Park Avenue Towers,” Mark answered on the second ring. Riley took a breath. At least the building is still standing.

  “Mark, its Riley Briggs. I’m only getting voicemail on Basia’s phone. Did she arrive at the building?”

  Riley hit speaker on his phone and backed out of his parking spot. He hoped traffic wasn’t going to keep him long from getting to Basia. He’d put the siren on to get there faster; one of the perks of being a cop.

  “Mr. Briggs. Yes, she did arrive about an hour ago. There is an officer in the lobby with me and one upstairs outside her door. Would you like me to go upstairs to check on her?” Mark offered. He probably read the panic in Riley’s voice.

  “Yes, please, Mark, and have her call me.”

  Riley thanked Mark and pressed end. He hoped to hear something soon. Riley’s phone rang as soon as he ended his conversation with Mark, but it was Kennedy. He was stuck in traffic too and hoped to get there as soon as he could. Within minutes, Riley’s phone rang again. This time it was Mark. The name on the call display only made Riley’s heart race faster. He needed to talk to Basia. He had a very uneasy feeling.

  “Did you speak with her, Mark?” Riley asked without a hello.

  “I’m sorry, sir, I haven’t. She’s not there.”

  “What do you mean she’s not there?” Riley’s tone grew louder, as panicked thoughts raced through his mind.

  “I went upstairs and there was no officer at her door. I knocked and after no answer, I let myself in. I called out her name a few times. When there was no answer, I searched the apartment. She’s not there, Mr. Briggs.” Mark’s tone sounded apologetic but also worried.

  “You didn’t see her leave the building with the officer?”

  Riley wondered if she went back out for something she forgot, then the officer would be with her, but Mark and the other officer would have seen them leave. His worst fear entered his head. Darek had her.

  “No, sir. She didn’t leave. Both the officer and myself have been in the lobby since she came in.”

  “Is there a back entrance I don’t know about?”

  Riley hadn’t thought about a back entrance; just the front lobby and the underground garage.

  “There’s an exit door but not one you can access from outside. All tenants use the front doors or the underground garage.”

  “I’ll be there in a few minutes, Mark.”

  Riley disconnected and said a prayer for Basia to be safe. He arrived at the building moments after Kennedy, and they headed upstairs to her apartment immediately. There was no sign of her in the apartment, in the building, or in the garage. Kennedy immediately called in a possible kidnapping of an NYPD officer and her missing red Corvette. An APB was immediately released for both Basia and her car. Riley sank down on the sofa and placed his hands on his head.

  “I should have stayed with her, Kennedy. How the hell did the bastard get in? And where the hell is that officer that was posted outside her door?”

  Riley had many questions and Kennedy had no answers for him.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  “Thank you, Mark.” Basia smiled as Mark held the door open for her.

  “It’s good to have you back home, Ms. Basia. Detective Briggs already called and said you were on your way and with two officers.” Riley really did care. He promised her he’d protect her and close this case. She felt a warm sensation in her heart. He was so different than Darek. He had only wanted her father’s money. She thought her memories of Darek had been filed deep within her mind. The last couple of days brought them to the forefront. She smiled politely at Mark and tried to hide the horror of those memories.

  “Yes, Mark. This is Officer Daley; he will stay in the lobby with you. And this is Officer Morris; he will be stationed outside my door.”

  Basia made the introductions and excused herself politely with her remark that she desperately needed some rest. She felt safe now. Basia wanted nothing more than a relaxing hot bath and some rest, if she could. It had been a long night. The threat on Riley’s life threw her into panic mode. Darek was no longer a controlling asshole; he was a sociopath and a dangerous one. The briefing of Riley’s discoveries of the connection between Darek and the brownstone only heightened her fear of him. After the last couple of days unraveled all these murders, she wished she’d just given him the money. The questions that rolled around in her mind exhausted her.

  “We will take extra special care to protect you, Ms. Basia. You go rest.”

  Mark called the elevator for her. She stepped in the elevator with Officer Morris. Basia put her key in the lock when Officer Morris stopped her. “Allow me to go in first. I’ll do a check-through first.”

  Basia nodded in agreement.

  Her eyes were so heavy she could barely keep them open. She waited at the open door for the officer to check inside. A couple of minutes went by and Basia wondered what kept him. Her apartment was a good size with two levels. Her bedrooms were on the upper level. She had a spare bedroom and always wondered why. It wasn’t as though she ever had guests. Basia desperately wanted that hot relaxing bath. She called out to Officer Morris but there was no answer. Her heart began to pound. She pulled her revolver from its holster and lifted the safety. Slowly she placed her bags inside the open door and closed the door gently.

  Basia made her way through the living area. Nothing looked touched or out of place. She put her back up against the swinging kitchen door and slowly pushed it open. She stood with her gun pointed and her finger on the trigger. She moved from one side of the kitchen to the other and made her way to the pantry door. With one hand, she turned the knob and sprung the door open quickly. She
jumped back. Her quick action to open the door caused her broom to fall out and hit her. Basia sucked in air and told herself to remain calm. She chuckled at the broom against her chest. She placed it back on the hook inside of the pantry door. Damn broom! She moved through the kitchen to check the study and the bathroom next to it. Still, nothing was out of place and no one was around. Basia looked at the open staircase that led to the upstairs loft. She called out to Officer Morris once more. A bead of sweat formed on her brown. She wiped it away with her sleeve. At this point, she knew she should have called for back-up or at least gone down to the lobby for Mark and Officer Daley. She found herself creeping up the steps slowly while that thought crossed her mind. At the top of the stairs, Basia gave the spare bedroom door a slight push open with her foot. She went in, gun first, but nothing was out of place. The closet was open as she always kept it. She moved further down the hall toward her bedroom. With her back up against the wall, outside her bedroom door and both hands on her revolver, she inhaled quickly and turned quickly inside the door. She saw Officer Morris with his hands behind his back and duct tape across his mouth. He was on his knees with his feet tied together. His eyes widened and tried to tell her something. Suddenly the closet door behind Officer Morris opened.

  “Darek,” Basia whispered in horror. Her heart raced. A few more beads of sweat formed and ran down her cheekbone.

  “Welcome home, darling”

  Darek waved the knife gently in the air. The reflection of light flickered off the blade. He placed his arm around the officer’s neck and moved the knife along the man’s throat. “You know, darling, I do love the poison as the perfect weapon. But trust me; I have used this before when I’ve had to. So I suggest you put down that gun and kick it toward me, or this nice young officer is going to make a mess on your lovely, lush carpet. I must say, Basia, I love what you’ve done with the place. It reminds me of our home back in Poland.” Darek’s evil grin made her swallow hard. Slowly she bent down, placed the gun on the floor, and kicked it toward him.

  “Let him go, Darek. He’s not involved in this. It’s me you want to desperately kill, so just do it.”

  “Not yet, darling. I’m rather enjoying the game. It’s quite exhilarating to watch your fear and your pain. You know all those deaths are on your shoulders. If it wasn’t for you, they’d all be alive. Well, they didn’t really have much of life to live anyways. I would have never believed you would befriend such drug addicted, lowlifes as friends. Was it pity, Basia?”

  Basia stood quietly. She tried to tune out his words. She’d learned to do that well. Then she jumped at the sound of that scream. When Darek Bernard yelled, the sound pierced louder than someone blowing a whistle directly in your ear.

  “Damn it, Basia! When I ask you a question, you answer. Have you forgotten your fucking manners? I’m still your husband, and you will answer me when I’ve spoken to you!” The decibel point he reached with each word sent shivers through her veins. She could even see it in the officer’s eyes; it just wasn’t her. Darek Bernard was definitely a scary man.

  “No, it was not pity, Darek. They were my friends. I cared for them. Isn’t that what you want to hear? To satisfy your need for the murders because they were close to me?”

  Basia could tell her angry tone shocked him by the expression in his eyes. She’d thrown him off. She would have never spoken to him that way in Poland. Time and space from the bastard helped make her stronger. She never thought a man could control her or abuse her in any way. He seemed surprised with the way she now spoke to him. She was no longer the scared little woman he believed he married.

  “A simple answer of yes or no is all that’s required, Basia. I don’t need or wish to hear you ramble about what you care about. You definitely didn’t care about your husband when you planned to kill him; now did you, darling?”

  The sound of his voice sickened her. He really believed he’d done nothing wrong, and now he was going to blame her.

  “What about your plan to kill me? And the fact that you killed my parents?”

  Basia’s anger grew fierce as she stepped toward him. He screamed for her to back up, or he’d slice the officer’s throat. She stopped moving forward but stood still and locked onto his stare. She wasn’t going to let him see her sweat or scared. Basia was ready to stand up to him.

  “Clever girl,” he laughed. Darek, for the first time, called her smart with the idea to kill him before he killed her. Basia said nothing in response. She didn’t think of it as clever. Back then she’d been in survival mode and not thinking clearly. Once she left Poland cleared her thoughts, and began to think sensibly; meaning she’d left his abuse, she believed she just should have left him. Divorced him and gave him the money he wanted. But she didn’t believe that wouldn’t have worked either. He was crazy. His control had taken over his greed. He appeared pissed that she’d left him. It sickened her to hear him say he was pleased with her plan to kill him. She didn’t want to be considered clever.

  “You have nothing to add, my darling?”

  His tone when he stressed my darling struck a nerve. She shook her head. She knew there was nothing she could say that would register with him. There was no way to reason with this man. He was beyond help.

  Darek tossed the officer to the side and he fell to the floor. Basia’s eyes grew wider as she tried to figure out a way to get out of this situation. Darek stepped closer to her and booted the officer in the gut. The officer laid in the fetal position from the pain Darek created.

  “Tie him to the bedpost! Basia!” Darek demanded in a loud shrieking scream. She stood frozen in her stance. Her eyes moved to the officer in pain.

  “Now!” Darek screamed louder and Basia jumped. Her eyes moved back to Darek and she glared at him.

  “What? Isn’t that one of your new exciting games, my darling?”

  Darek’s laughter crawled under her skin. She didn’t reply. It wasn’t worth the breath. He began to ramble and Basia tried hard to block out his words. He continued in his rant about how exciting her life in New York had become. And how she changed from the person she was in Poland. She flinched when he mentioned Riley’s name.

  “Oh, now I get some sort of response with Detective Riley Briggs,” Darek mentioned his name again and Basia glared.

  “I’ve hit a nerve, my darling. Is he the man who stole your heart from me?” Darek asked in a quieter voice, yet still his tone sent shivers through her.

  “No, Darek, it was you who destroyed whatever feelings I had for you. I thought it was love until you betrayed my heart,” Basia finally spoke. She’d had enough of his game playing. He waved the knife toward the officer.

  “Now tie him to the post before I slice his throat.”

  This time Basia moved toward the officer. Darek threw hiking rope at her. “Tie him with this, Basia. You remember the rope, Basia. It’s my hiking rope from our last hike together.” Darek sat on the bed while she tied the officer to the post. He then continued to speak of their last hike in the Tatra Mountains.

  “I knew you overheard my call that morning. You had already left for groceries, but then you must have come back. I saw you leave the front door after my call. I figured you heard my conversation. I was shocked when you said nothing and came back as if you hadn’t heard a thing. I was curious, of course, but continued to play whatever game you decided to play. I wondered why you never told anyone or why you didn’t leave. I began to watch your every move over the next few days, as we continued to plan our trip to the mountains. It was then I discover the vial you hid in your purse. Not knowing what it was, I poured it into another container and replaced yours with water. Brilliant, Basia, simply brilliant; I was impressed when my friend had it tested and found out what it was. Thallium, the perfect poison; it’s colorless, odorless, and untraceable unless you’re looking for it. I discovered it could be easily placed in food or water, and I began to wonder how you were going to take me out. I placed your vial back in the hidden section of your purse
where I found it. Now my plan, Basia, was to bring you over that ladder until the storm struck faster than I’d expected. Damn Tatra weather! It’s so unpredictable. Isn’t it, Basia?”

  Cocky bastard! I thought he always said the weather wasn’t unpredictable.

  He laughed and caught her stare. She remained beside the officer after she’d tied him to the post. She said nothing as Darek rambled.

  “Where was I?”

  He continued to flip the knife from side to side as the light reflected off the blade.

  “Oh, yes, now I remember. I lost my grip on the ladder, but luckily one hand reached for my rope. I swung it upward to go through the ladder step opening. I was able to grab it and hang on while I slowly slithered my way to a landing. That sudden burst of snow, which filtered in the air, blinded not only my sight, but yours. I assumed you thought I fell. Of course, with the thallium you believed was in my system when you made my coffee that morning, you were certain I was dead or soon to be.”

  Darek looked at Basia. The pure evil that lurked in his eyes proved to her that he was definitely crazy and cold-blooded. He smiled.

  “I made my way with a broken leg and crawled to a spot where I wouldn’t be found. My friend came for me after the search had been called off. We made it to a mountain hut that had been closed up for the first few days. Then I figured it was safe to move to our chata. My friend nursed me back to health. I knew you would return to Zakopane, to our home. Once I recovered and could walk, I went home only to discover you’d left. Can you imagine my disappointment, Basia?”

  Basia remained quiet. She tried hard to ignore his words. She remembered the day of their last hike along Eagle Ridge trail. The trails are quite demanding for an experienced hiker. Eight days had gone by. He’d been nice. He hadn’t lost his temper once. Basia figured she had to play the obedient wife to keep him calm; long enough to figure out how she’d get herself out of the situation. Their hiking trip was all he talked about. She went along with him and continuously announced her excitement. She was making him breakfast, a couple of days before they left for the mountains, while he watched the news. He told her about a storm the news reported but reassured her they’d still go. There was always the possibility of extreme weather conditions in the Tatras.