Vigilante

by Velvet Vaughn

Her eyes widened and she smiled. “Really?”

  “If it makes you feel better, you don’t look like one to me, Kramer,” Benson joked. She flipped him off and he threw out a hand in her direction. “See. That’s what I’m talking about.”

  “There has to be a mirror in the dressing room,” Sawyer concluded, ignoring their banter. “And a broom or mop somewhere.”

  They rounded up a mirror that was approximately six inches wide from the make-up table. Benson removed the end of a broom and a few pieces of duct tape later, they had a crudely-constructed bottom detection device.

  They filed outside and since Alex had done this before, the detectives let him take the lead. He inched closer and swiped the apparatus slowly back and forth under the SUV. Sure enough, a blinking red light reflected off of the mirror. He backed slowly away and nodded to Benson.

  Kramer raised her voice to order the few people milling about to clear the area. She grabbed a roll of crime scene tape and between her, Alex and Sawyer, they were able to block off a radius around the Cadillac. Twenty minutes later a NYPD Bomb Squad truck pulled into the lot. Men scrambled out and Benson indicated the SUV and the location of the explosive. Using a remote control vehicle called a wheelbarrow, they launched it to determine the type of device.

  Alex couldn’t stop a shudder. What if Queenie hadn’t noticed the man? He, Olivia and Sawyer would have climbed inside, blissfully unaware. The next funeral they would’ve attended would’ve been their own.

  #

  “With Kip Prescott, this is Olivia Larrson for NYC-TV3, goodnight New York and thanks for watching.”

  Olivia sighed as the camera clicked off. She was so tired, mentally and physically, she could barely keep her eyes open. Thank goodness the station employed a talented make-up artist. It took an extra effort, but Serena managed to completely conceal the dark circles beneath her eyes. They’d spent all night and most of the morning at the lake where they’d recovered the bodies of Mr. and Mrs. Wicks, along with Morris Clarke. And Callie. Now they were waiting on instructions of where to find Erica Long’s body.

  “Hey, love. Smashing show as always.”

  “Thanks, Queenie.” Usually she adored her co-worker, but when she saw her cozying up to Alex and stroking his arm, she’d almost lost it on air. As it was, she fumbled her lines and had a hard time recovering.

  “You might want to go outside and find your hottie boyfriend.”

  She was instantly wide awake. “Why? What happened?”

  “I saw someone messing with your vehicle.”

  Olivia stood so fast her chair spun in circles. She ripped out her earpiece and scurried around the desk. When Chuck blocked her path, she almost jammed a knee in his groin.

  “So, Olivia, how about we—”

  “Not now, Chuck.” She pushed past him without stopping.

  “Olivia?”

  She ignored Jonah’s summons as well. She burst through the door to the parking lot to see several emergency vehicles with their red and blue lights swirling and the area buzzing with activity. She scanned the throng of people milling about, her gaze finding Alex like a magnet. She rushed to him. “Alex? What’s going on?”

  He spun around to face her. “Hey, babe. I didn’t realize the broadcast was over. Any word from the Vigilante?”

  She shook her head, her eyes trained on the action. “What is this?”

  “Queenie saw someone crawling under the SUV and thank goodness she did. We found a bomb.”

  Olivia’s hand covered her mouth and she made a sound of distress. “A bomb?”

  Alex gathered her close. She didn’t realize how cold she was until his body heat surrounded her. “Yeah. They’re removing it now.”

  As they watched, a man in a suit that looked straight from NASA rolled to his back under the SUV. He carefully detached the contraption and handed it to another man dressed in a similar suit.

  “What will they do with it?”

  Alex pointed to a trailer behind one of the emergency vehicles. “That’s a bomb containment chamber. It’s basically an inside-out diving vessel. It has tiny vents that allow the pressure to escape if the bomb should detonate. I’m not sure about this one, but we had one in Chicago that could hold a blast of over 25 pounds of TNT. I got a quick look at the explosive and I don’t think it's anywhere near that powerful.”

  The man carefully carried the gadget to the chamber and placed it inside. Once it was sealed shut, he high-fived with the man who removed the bomb from under the SUV and several others who gathered around.

  “Did Queenie see who did this?”

  “No. Male, hoodie, sunglasses. I’m just thankful she noticed him.”

  “Me, too.” She vibrated…no wait, that was her pocket. She checked the name and it was unknown, which meant it was probably the Vigilante. Both the police and Alex’s computer guru had been unable to trace any of the calls he made through burner phones.

  She showed Alex the screen. “Instructions on finding Erica Long’s body.”

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  On Monday morning, Mindy had been on top of the world. On Tuesday morning, she was ready to deck anyone who crossed her path. To say she was in a foul mood was a huge understatement. Ray wouldn’t quit asking her questions about Olivia Larrson. Had she met her? What kind of car did she drive? Does she arrive to the station alone or with someone else? She was totally convinced he was in love with the woman. What if he wanted Olivia to star in his movie instead of her?

  When he stopped by her apartment last night, he’d fished her keys out of her purse and started tossing them in the air, asking which one opened the doors to the station. She’d burst out laughing. “I’m a receptionist, Ray, and I’ve worked there for exactly three days. You think they give me keys to the place?”

  A flash of anger crossed his face but it quickly disappeared. He dropped the keys back in her purse and kissed her. Kissing led to touching which led to twisted sheets and sweaty bodies.

  She thought after that amazing experience, he would forget all about Olivia, but he asked if Mindy would give him a tour of the set today. He tacked on that it was research, but she could see right through him. She yelled. He yelled. She threw things. He ducked. Then he stormed out.

  She laid in bed, wondering why he wanted inside the building. He probably wanted to leave a love note for Olivia or something. She’d rolled over and punched her pillow, wishing it was Olivia’s face. She barely managed a few hours of sleep and her dreams had been tormented.

  She was completely caught off-guard when she looked up to see Ray carrying a huge bouquet of red roses. If he brought that for Olivia…

  “Hey.” He looked sheepish, his smile tentative.

  “Hello, Ray.”

  “Look, Mindy, I’m sorry about our fight. I won’t ask about interviewing Olivia again. I’ll find another way to get what I need.” He handed her the large square vase and she almost dropped it. It was heavy! He helped her settle it on the counter. “Forgive me?”

  How could she stay mad when he smiled at her so sweetly. “Of course I forgive you, Ray.” She threw her arms around him and kissed him.

  He broke the kiss and stepped back. “I have to go.”

  “Call me later?”

  “Sure. Goodbye, Mindy.”

  #

  Once they located the bodies of Gordon and Erica Long, Olivia was able to manage a few hours of sleep. She wasn’t caught up, but she felt better than yesterday. Proving once again she was Superwoman, Alex’s office manager BeBe arranged for a new ride—another black SUV—before the last of the emergency personnel had left the parking lot with the bomb.

  After sleeping in late and then working out, they swung by her apartment before heading into the station. Sawyer found another package from the Vigilante in her mailbox, along with a new postcard from Ernie. He was making his way across Montana now. She missed having the map from her bedroom wall where she could follow along on his trip.

  The latest video featured a lady who
killed her boyfriend after he broke up with her for another woman. Detectives Benson and Kramer had met them at the station to take possession of the tape after the techs loaded it for tomorrow’s broadcast.

  They had no clues as to who placed the explosive device under the Escalade. According to the bomb techs, it wasn’t very sophisticated. Anyone could’ve constructed it with the instructions available on the world wide web. The internet made it too easy for criminals to cause havoc.

  They’d been able to locate images of the bomber on several security cameras from buildings surrounding the station, but with the disguise Queenie had described covering his face, they couldn’t get any clear views. He disappeared inside a department store and didn’t come back out, so he most likely altered his appearance enough that they couldn’t identify him.

  Olivia was in her office going over notes for the evening broadcast but found her eyes constantly drifting to Alex. They’d moved a table inside so he and Sawyer could work on their laptops and they were both engrossed with whatever they were doing. More and more fan sites were popping up for the Vigilante and now they had a report of a copycat in Santa Fe, New Mexico and one in Birmingham, Alabama. The one in Santa Fe had been caught, but the other was still on the loose. She was afraid there would be more. A tip line had been set up after the first video and it had received hundreds of thousands of tips that the cops were monitoring, but nothing so far that could help identify the culprit.

  She pushed back from her desk and stretched. She tried to stay away from caffeine but the late nights were catching up with her and she needed a Diet Coke for a boost of energy.

  “Can I get you guys something from the vending machine?”

  They both requested a Diet Coke and grumbled when she refused their money. She stepped into the employee break room and fed bills into the machine to dispense three bottles of soda. She turned to leave when a woman came barreling in the door…or she assumed it was a woman. Actually, it was a large vase of red roses with legs. She could foresee the impending collision, but she was helpless to stop it. The woman slammed into her, causing her to drop one of the bottles.

  “Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry,” the woman apologized. She deposited the bouquet on one of the tables. “Did I hurt you?”

  “Oh no, I’m fine,” Olivia assured her as she picked up the dropped bottle. When she stood, the woman gasped.

  “You’re Olivia Larrson, aren’t you?”

  She smiled. “I am.” She juggled the sodas so she could hold out a hand. “Are you new here?”

  The woman looked a bit reluctant, but finally she shook her hand. “Receptionist. I just started last week.”

  “Oh, you must be Mindy.” Pierce Prescott’s niece, she didn’t add.

  The woman nodded. “How did you know?”

  “I was in the room when your un…er, Mr. Prescott called to ask about a package that was addressed to me.”

  “Oh, right.”

  “Well, it’s good to have you here. It’s a wonderful place to work.” Olivia smiled. “If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask me. I’d love to help.” The woman frowned at her. Olivia’s smile slipped. “Is something the matter?”

  “You make it hard for me to hate you.”

  Olivia’s head jerked back. “You hate me? Why? You don’t even know me.”

  “No, but my boyfriend has a major crush on you. He keeps bugging me to meet you. You’re pretty much all he talks about.”

  “Oh, well.” Olivia didn’t know what to say to that. “Are those from him?” She indicated the gaudy display of flowers.

  The woman nodded. “He apologized. But gosh, that’s one ugly vase and the roses are making my eyes water.”

  “Well, they sure brighten up the break room,” Olivia said turning to leave. “I meant what I said. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.”

  Mindy nodded and smiled. “Thanks. And it was nice to meet you, Ms. Larrson. If my boyfriend has to have a crush on another woman, I’m glad it’s you.”

  “Olivia, please, and thanks, I think.” They both laughed and she headed back to her office. She placed the bottles on the table in front of Alex and Sawyer. “We’re going to play a game of Russian Roulette.”

  Alex’s brows lifted and Sawyer rubbed his hands together in anticipation. “How do you play?”

  “Someone ran into me as I was leaving the break room and I dropped one bottle. One of us will be getting a nice Diet Coke shower.”

  “I’ll open yours so you don’t get wet,” Alex offered.

  Her heart squeezed. “That’s sweet, Mylonas, but I’m a big girl. Besides, I say we put money on it. The two dry people have to give the loser, say, five bucks?”

  “Big spender,” Sawyer taunted. “Besides, how do we know you aren’t setting us up? You have to know which bottle you dropped.”

  Her hands slammed to her hips. “Are you calling me a cheat?” She playfully narrowed her eyes. “Besides, I’m just trying to spice up a boring afternoon.”

  Sawyer held up his hands. “Never. Okay, I’m in.” He pulled out his wallet and slapped a five on the table. Alex followed suit. She grabbed her purse and added her Lincoln to the pile.

  “Ladies first,” Alex offered. She smiled at him and picked one of the bottles.

  Once they each selected one, Sawyer said, “We all have to open at the same time.”

  “And no pointing at anyone else,” Alex added, pinning Sawyer with his glare.

  Sawyer grinned. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”

  “On three,” she said. “One. Two. Three.” She unscrewed the cap and the entire world exploded.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Alex was having a hard time keeping his eyes open as he stared at his computer screen. He’d worked cases before when he was on the force that caused him to miss sleep but he was younger then. And sported one less hole in his chest.

  Peter Dennis and his crew hadn’t been able to glean any information from the videos. If anyone could, it would be Pete and Tyler Redmond. More fan sites were popping up, almost hourly. Copycats were causing havoc in other states as well.

  His eyes drifted back to Olivia, as they did often. Sawyer caught him staring and made a kissy face. He took satisfaction at Sawyer’s grunt of pain when he chucked him in the shin.

  Olivia stood and he tracked her movements as she rounded her desk. She was headed to the vending machines for a drink. When she returned and proposed the silly game, he played along, but he hoped he got the dropped bottle so she didn’t get wet.

  “On three,” she said. “One. Two. Three.”

  He started to unscrew his lid when a loud noise boomed, the floor shook and then the entire room blew the hell up. He managed to launch himself at Olivia right before they were hurled into the air. He twisted his body so that when they slammed into the wall with a jarring thud, he took the brunt of the hit. They plummeted to the ground with Olivia landing on top of him. He groaned, disoriented. He closed his eyes and took stock of his body. He ached all over, but he didn’t think anything was broken. His arm burned so he probably ripped the stitches. He blinked his eyes open. The room was dark, smoky. Dust and debris floated in the air. Walls had crumbled and desks were overturned.

  Olivia moaned and that effectively obliterated the cobwebs from his brain. “Olivia, baby? Are you okay?” He realized he’d been practically crushing her in his grip so he loosened his hold and ran his hands over her back. “Are you hurt?” She didn’t answer right away and panic filled him. “Open those gorgeous blue eyes for me, sweetheart.” She had to be okay. He couldn’t lose her. His eyes filled and it wasn’t from the smoke in the air. He inhaled harder. Lots of smoke. Shit, the building was on fire. “Olivia, honey, I have to get you out of here. I don’t want to hurt you. Please open your eyes.” His voice cracked on the last word.

  Her hand stroked his face and brushed against his cheek. “You’re crying. Are you hurt?”

  His laugh was a choked sob and he shook his
head. “I was so damn worried about you.”

  She rolled her head and blinked, moved her arms and legs. “I’m okay. Just shaken up a bit. You saved me…again.”

  Alex crushed her against him again. “I love you, Olivia. I know this is a shitty time to say it, but when I thought I’d lost you, I was devastated.”

  Sawyer stopped any response she might have given him. “Alex? Olivia? Are you okay?”

  “Yeah, you?”

  “Think so. But we need to get out of here now. The building is burning.”

  Sawyer appeared in his line of sight. He helped him to his feet with Olivia still in his arms.

  “I can walk,” she protested weakly.

  “Too bad. I’m not letting you go.”

  Sawyer led the way through the debris. It was mayhem. People were screaming in pain and crying. Flames were licking up walls that hadn’t yet crumbled. The power was off so it was dark and dangerous. Alex pulled out his cell and activated the flashlight.

  “If you’re okay getting out of here by yourself,” Sawyer said, “I’m going to assist the others.”

  “I’ll get Olivia to safety and I’ll be back to help.”

  “I want to help, too,” Olivia cried.

  “No, baby, I need you out of here.” The path was precarious and perilous but he finally made his way outside to the fresh air. He strode straight to the SUV and opened the back door. “Please wait in here with the doors locked,” Alex pleaded. “I need to give Sawyer a hand but I have to know you’re safe.” Olivia nodded in agreement and he brushed a quick kiss across her lips before he disappeared into the bowels of hell.

  #

  Olivia watched as Alex ran back into the burning building with a sense of dread. He was risking his life to save others and she hadn’t had the chance to tell him that she loved him, too. Alex loved her. She should have felt on top of the world but her body hurt and her heart ached.

  A bright light caught her eye and she saw Roddy capturing the scene. It seemed harsh that he was filming instead of helping, but Roddy smoked three packs of cigarettes a day, was fifty pounds’ overweight and totally out of shape. It was probably for the best that he stayed outside, otherwise she had a feeling Alex would be hefting him to safety, too.