Wicked Payback

by Daisy Dexter Dobbs

  “Well, I’m glad to hear that,” Meredith sniffed against Annie’s garment, “because I’d probably suck as a nun, anyway.” She gave a little laugh.

  “Yes, dear, I’m afraid you would,” Annie agreed, patting Meredith’s back and chuckling.

  “Okay,” Meredith broke the embrace and wiped her eyes. “So now what? It’s been more than four months since Jack and Karyn last saw me. Do they think I’m dead or what?”

  “They don’t know what to think although the likelihood of your death looms larger with each passing day. They’re both frantic with worry. And there’ve been a number of changes in their lives since the day this all started. But you’ll find out about all of that once you go back.”

  Changes? Like what? Ugh. Meredith didn’t have the energy or inclination to think about any of that now. She sat down again and frowned. “Where do I tell them I’ve been all this time?” She huffed a laugh. “Heaven and Hell?”

  Annie shrugged. “If that’s what you think is best—although I rather doubt anyone would believe you. Just be aware that the memories of your experiences after falling down the elevator shaft will gradually fade until barely anything is retained.”

  “How long will it take before the memories disappear?” Meredith couldn’t imagine ever forgetting what she’d been through. Especially the part about inhabiting Ricky’s body.

  “It varies with the individual, dear. Sometimes a few days, sometimes a few months, sometimes longer. You’ll probably always retain a few snippets, but in time you’ll just think they’re parts of dreams you’ve had.”

  “I suppose that’s for the best.” Meredith nodded slowly. “If I remembered everything it would be awfully hard to focus on regular everyday life again, wouldn’t it?”

  “Exactly.” Annie slanted Meredith a cautionary look. “One word of warning, just to be sure that you don’t find yourself ensnared in Dev’s clutches again.” Meredith shuddered at the thought. “In the future,” Annie continued, “don’t let things build up inside until they reach a boiling point and you resort to drastic measures. I mean, we got quite a kick out of your revenge on Jack…up to a point. He certainly deserved to get a good scare and you deserved to see him squirm, but you allowed things to go too far. Everything would have been all right if only you hadn’t left him there in the hotel room all trussed up with that sock puppet on his penis.” Annie covered her mouth, tittering. “Very funny, but walking out that hotel room door was a definite no-no.”

  Meredith nodded solemnly. The humor she’d felt while plotting and exacting her revenge on Jack had long subsided. All she had to do was to remember those bleak, horrid scenes of Jack and Karyn in the future to wipe any traces of a smile from her face. “I understand.”

  “And for heaven’s sake, Meredith, that doesn’t mean you should return to being a lackluster goody-two-shoes stick in the mud, either. Just find a happy medium, dear. You can have great fun, oodles of sex and as much chocolate as your heart desires—as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone else—or hurt you.” She scooted off the desk and linked her arm with Meredith’s, tugging her from the chair. “Lysander’s on his way here to guide you back home again, Meredith. Remember, dear…everything will be fine. I’ll be watching over you, just the way I’ve always done—except that now you’ll be aware of it. Talk to me whenever you need to. I’ll always hear you and help in any way that I can.” She hauled Meredith into a mighty hug and squeezed hard. “Goodbye dear…until we meet again.”

  “Annie…wait! There’s still so much I want to ask you.” Meredith reached out her hand but she was being whisked away, in the arms of Lysander again. Her guardian angel was out of sight and soon, so were the Gates of Heaven.

  “Don’t worry, little one,” Lysander whispered in her ear. “You have all of the knowledge that you need. Just follow your heart.”

  Enveloped in his magnificent arms again, Meredith felt safe, warm and cocooned. She heard herself purr when her mind wandered, wondering what it would be like to make love with an angel.

  “Glorious,” Lysander whispered against her ear.

  A small gasp escaped her throat as Meredith realized that he had heard her thoughts. Before she could say anything, Lysander brushed a kiss across her temple and Meredith closed her eyes, quickly slipping into the solace of dreamless sleep.

  Chapter Thirteen

  “I’m telling you, Jack, if she’s alive she’ll be here,” Karyn said, munching on a mini-pretzel.

  “How can you be so sure? I hate sitting here twiddling my thumbs for hours waiting when I could be out there looking for her instead.”

  “Then stop twiddling and have a pretzel.” Laughing, she pushed the bowl toward Jack, who ignored it. “Look, turning forty is a big deal for women, Jack, especially if we’re single. It’s one of those unpleasant milestone occasions where we need to rally and support each other. I was there for Meredith’s fortieth and I know she’ll be here for me. We made a pact.”

  “Maybe we should be downstairs waiting for her at her apartment.” Being idle was driving Jack nuts. It was passive and nonproductive and definitely not his usual method of operation. He was a man of action, used to taking charge and being in control. Meredith’s disappearance had changed all that. For the past four months he’d felt practically immobilized, gripped by aching sensations of loss and fear. He didn’t want to use the word grief because that would mean that Meredith might be dead, and he refused to accept that. She had to be alive…she just had to. It was his discovery that Karyn had been paying Meredith’s rent and utilities during her absence that made Jack’s blood run cold. Irresponsibility simply wasn’t one of Meredith’s traits. She would never run off willy-nilly, sticking Karyn with her bills. Unless…

  Karyn tsked. “Trust me, she’ll be here.”

  Jack swirled the liquid in his glass, staring into his martini and shaking his head. “Something awful must have happened. I feel it in my bones.” And he did. It was weird…like some sort of intrinsic soul connection or something with Meredith. It sounded bizarre and new-agey, not at all like his usual rational thinking, but there it was nonetheless. He’d given up talking to Karyn about the feeling because each time he mentioned it she’d start blubbering and telling him how sweet he was. He couldn’t take that. He didn’t deserve her sympathy or encouragement. Whatever had happened to Meredith, he knew without a doubt that it was because of him. Sweet? Hardly.

  “How could she just disappear off the face of the earth like that?” Jack continued. “Without a trace.” He shoved his fingers through his hair. “I just don’t understand it. It doesn’t make any sense.”

  “Yeah, I know. You’ve been singing that same tired old song for the last four months.” Karyn chuckled and grabbed another handful of pretzels. “Knock it off, already, you’re ruining my birthday.”

  “Oh, right.” Jack folded his arms across his chest, leveling a narrowed gaze at Karyn. With four months of near nonstop crying taking its toll, the woman looked like she’d been dragged through sewer water, wrung out and left to dry. “And like you haven’t been tied up in knots and bawling like a baby ever since she disappeared yourself.”

  Karyn dismissed him with a flick of her wrist. “You know, Mr. Sensitivity, if you would have taken the time to show Meredith one iota of your feelings for her when you were still married, she never would have had to resort to such drastic measures. But, no, you were too busy fucking prepubescent floozies to think about what it was doing to your loyal, loving wife. Not to mention,” Karyn slapped the table just as Jack opened his mouth to respond, “all that open marriage crap you told me about. I mean, what the hell were you thinking when you made that proposition to her, Jack? You were damned lucky Meredith didn’t have a baseball bat in that purse of hers because, sure as shit, she would have cracked you over the head with it.”

  Jack sat back in his chair and let his head fall back. After staring at the ceiling of Karyn’s kitchen for a few moments he heaved a sigh. “You’re right. This is all my f
ault. Every time I cheated on her I was toying with her emotions like she was a goddamned yo-yo.” He looked Karyn in the eyes, which was hard to do, knowing that the anguish etched across her features was entirely due to his actions. “And every time I think about what I said to Meredith that night,” he winced at the recollection, “I’m just as amazed as you are that she didn’t bash my head in. She should have. I was a selfish prick and Meredith deserved—deserves—much better.” He didn’t want to refer to Meredith in the past tense. Because she wasn’t dead. She couldn’t be.

  Karyn’s shoulders slumped and her eyes glassed over with tears. She reached for Jack’s hand and squeezed it hard. “Oh, hell. Just put me out to pasture and shoot me,” she said, laughing. “I’m sorry, Jack, you didn’t deserve that at all. I’m just edgy…antsy. Believe me, after spending all the time we have together these past few months, I know how this is tearing you up inside. I know how much Meredith means to you. I’m sorry…really. Forgive me?”

  Jack patted her hand and smiled. “Forget it. There’s nothing to forgive.” He was silent for a moment, lost in thought. No meaningless clandestine affair…no temporary cock gratification with any other woman…nothing in this entire world was worth losing Meredith forever. He’d castrate himself before he ever hurt her like that again. “I’d give anything in the world for the chance to make things up to her.” And the chance to glove his cock in that soft, sweet, wet pussy of Meredith’s one more time.

  “Well, when she walks through that door with my birthday pistachios you can get started.” Karyn beamed a bright smile.

  Jack chuckled. “How do you know she’s getting you pistachios?”

  “That’s part of our pact. I bring her Belgian chocolate on her birthday and she beings me—”

  The sudden buzz of the doorbell gave them both a start. Wide-eyed, Jack and Karyn exchanged glances, gulping as they sat frozen like a couple of statues. The bell rang again and they jumped out of their chairs.

  “Jesus, do you think…”

  Suddenly panicked, Jack’s mouth went dry. “God, I hope so.”

  They raced to the living room, scrambling to unlock and open the door. Finally, it swung open and they stood with gaping stares.

  “La cucaracha?”

  “What?” Jack and Karyn said in unison.

  “Sorry. I forgot my English. I understand there is a cockroach here, eh?”

  Jack’s expectant smile sank as he eyed the muscle-bound kid across the threshold. “Do you know this joker, Karyn?”

  “I am no joker, señor. Allow me to introduce myself.” The young man took a deep bow. “I am—”

  “Cristoval! What are you doing here?” Karyn said. “He lives next door to Meredith,” she explained to Jack.

  “Sí. Meredith sent me.” He grinned and then gave Karyn a wink. “She said you’d know why, Karyn.” His smile grew wider.

  With a chorused gasp, Jack and Karyn poked their heads into the hall on either side of Cristoval, looking left and right, and then Karyn looped her arm through Cristoval’s and yanked him into her apartment.

  “Where is she?” Karyn said, wrapping her hands around his biceps and jiggling his arm.

  Jack joined in, shaking Cristoval by the shoulders. “Where’s Meredith?”

  “She’s—”

  “Have you seen her? Is she all right?” Karyn said, tugging harder.

  “You actually talked to her?” Jack asked.

  “Ai, ai, ai! Just a minute! Por favor! You’re making me dizzy.” Karyn and Jack stilled and Cristoval shook them off. He thrust the large burlap bag he held at Karyn. “First, these are from Meredith. Five pounds of pistachio nuts for your birthday. She says to let you know that—”

  “When did you talk to her? What did she say?” Jack interrupted, grasping the young man’s arms.

  “I am trying to tell you!” Cristoval gazed at his arm pointedly until Jack got the message and let go. “Yes, I talked to Meredith. Now just let me finish before I forget what she told me to say, okay?” He nailed Jack with a frustrated glare.

  Jack raised his hands in surrender. “Sorry. Go ahead.”

  Cristoval brushed his arms where Jack had clutched him. “Karyn, she said to tell you that she just returned and not to worry because she is fine. She asked me to bring you the bag of nuts and said that she’d come and talk to you just as soon as she finds Jack. And, uh, she said that I am supposed to keep you company until she gets here. She suggested that I help you with that big cockroach you saw in your apartment—the same way I helped her with the mouse on her birthday.” Cristoval waggled his eyebrows and then glanced at Jack. “But I see you already have someone else searching for your cockroach, no?”

  “No! That’s Jack. Meredith’s Jack. Oh my God, Jack,” Karyn squealed as she threw her arms around Jack’s neck. “She is back!”

  Confused, Jack hugged Karyn back as he tried to make sense of everything. “I don’t get it. What’s all this about mice and cockroaches?”

  Karyn stepped back and scratched her head. “Uhhh…well. Cristoval is our, uh…exterminator. Right, Cristoval?” She looked at the kid with what Jack thought was a pleading expression.

  Cristoval shrugged. “Sí, that’s it. I am the exterminator.” He took another bow. “And I’m very good at what I do.” He did the wiggly eyebrow thing again as he looked at Karyn.

  Jack slanted the buff young man a cautionary look, which Cristoval met with an angelic smile. “Is Meredith downstairs in her apartment?”

  “Yes, but I think she was on her way out to go look for you when she came to talk to me.”

  “We’ve got to catch her!” Jack bellowed as he turned toward the door. Karyn was next to him in an instant. Shoulders crunching together as they reached the doorway, they became wedged between the doorjamb, thrashing about like a couple of slapstick comedians. With a final thrust, Jack jerked free and ran into the hall. “Meredith!” he yelled as he raced toward the carpeted wooden staircase.

  “Wait for me!” Karyn screamed as she bolted after Jack.

  Stopping just as he reached the stairs, Jack growled, “Hurry up for chrissakes!”

  “Hey…what about me?” Cristoval called.

  Turning around and jogging backwards, Karyn aimed a finger at him. “You stay right where you are, Cristoval. Don’t you dare leave! I’ve been waiting months for you to come get rid of that cockroach and you’re not leaving until you’ve done your job—thoroughly.” She winked, turned forward and sped up to catch Jack.

  “I look forward to it, cara mia!” Cristoval yelled as he blew her a kiss.

  “Jack, you’re going too fast!” Karyn said as she scrambled down the first flight of stairs behind him. “I’ll kill myself if I try to run down three steps at a time like you.”

  Waiting impatiently for Karyn to catch up, Jack snarled. “Come on already! Move those short little legs of yours. We’ve got to catch her before she leaves.”

  Karyn grinned. “Thanks for saying my legs are little.” Jack just rolled his eyes. “Maybe one of us should be taking the elevator.” Karyn gasped out between ragged breaths as she scampered down the stairs, trying to keep up.

  “Go ahead,” Jack said. “Who’s stopping you?”

  “Never mind,” Karyn said. “That damn old thing is so slow that we’ll make better time on the stairs. Besides,” she paused to suck in some air, “the elevator’s so noisy that we’ll hear it if Meredith tries to use it.”

  “Just one more flight, Karyn. We’re almost there.”

  “At least she lives downstairs and not up. If I were racing up three flights I’d be having a coronary by now.” As they turned the corner and galloped past the landing, Karyn’s shoe caught on a bump in the carpet and she screamed out something that sounded like the call of a sick moose as she began to plummet forward.

  “Shit!” Jack yelled as he braced himself to catch her without falling headfirst down the stairs as she plunged into him. Soon the two of them were tumbling, slipping and sliding dow
n the last dozen stairs until they came to a stop in a tangled heap, half on and half off the stairs.

  In the midst of their groans, moans and growled swearing, Jack heard laughter.

  “Trying to recapture your youth by playing tag down the stairs, hmm, Karyn? Next thing I know you’ll be running with scissors.” The familiar laughter pealed again.

  Scraping the hair out of her eyes, Karyn looked up. “Meredith? Is it really you?”

  “In the flesh,” Meredith said, beaming a smile. “Are you okay? Looks like you and Cristoval took quite a tumble.”

  “It’s not Cristoval, it’s—” Karyn growled in frustration. “Damn it, Jack, you weigh a ton. Get off of me before you break every bone in my body.”

  “Me? You’re the one sitting on my face.” Meredith stood there stunned as Jack’s voice came from somewhere under Karyn’s hips. “I can’t move until you haul your big—”

  “Jack…” Meredith’s hand flew to her throat. “My Jack?”

  Jack groaned as he and Karyn untangled themselves, sliding down the last few steps on their bellies. “Guilty as charged,” he said, getting to his feet and pulling Karyn up with him.

  Jack’s hair was rumpled, with a hank of dark brown coiled haphazardly over one eye. It had been years since Meredith had seen him in jeans and a T-shirt—his standard uniform was a three-piece suit. Seeing the way his impressive physique filled out his clothes, it was no wonder she’d mistaken him for Cristoval before she’d seen his face. Jack looked so damned sexy it took her breath away. Without wasting another moment she rushed to his side and he yanked her into his arms, squeezing and kissing her with such intensity that Meredith alternately wept and laughed with joy.