“Where is she?” Perry’s muffled voice rang out. “Did she go through the exit?”
Colton’s footsteps began their descent. “No, that door’s locked. Stay where you are. I’ll find her.”
Taylor winced.
She crawled quickly along the front row until she was at the middle where there was a pillar to hide behind.
Colton hit the bottom and made his way to the front of the screen.
The door at the top opened again.
Erin.
“Taylor? Are you in here?”
“It’s alright,” Colton said. “We’re not going to hurt you. We just want to talk.”
“About killing our friend, Darien,” Perry said angrily.
“And my best friend Leah,” Erin added.
Taylor had had enough. She bobbed her head up. “Are you fucking kidding me? Darien was a goddamn serial killer! And maybe so is one of these assholes too!”
Colton immediately pounced on her.
He took hold off her body and threw her up against the screen.
“You think Darien was a killer?” Colton hissed at her. “Because he was running around with a chainsaw?”
“Well, he wasn’t cutting down fucking trees.”
Colton grinned. “That’s cute. Really. Well done.”
Taylor pressed her head back.
Erin and Perry began to make their way down.
“It was a complete gag,” Colton said. “One of us always dresses up as a psycho when we have one of our parties. You think Vanessa wasn’t in on it? Or Penelope? Or Lucille?”
“In on it? They’re fucking dead.”
Colton shook his head. “That’s not entirely true.”
Erin leaned against the wall next to her. “Penelope’s alive. She’s been helping the police.”
“What?”
Taylor fumbled about with her ear.
The wire seemed to have fallen out.
“You heard me,” Erin said. “Penelope can verify everything.”
“Don’t joke about this shit! You think this is funny?”
Colton put his hand in Taylor’s messy hair. He pulled at it.
“Ouch, bastard.”
“It’s like she says,” Colton continued. “Penelope is alive. Lucille got eaten by a shark – that’s a real shark, not one of us – and you killed Vanessa.”
“Bullshit!”
“And Leah,” Erin added.
“And Darien,” Perry chimed in.
“Someone is getting seriously bullshitted here,” Taylor chuckled. “And it ain’t me. So … have a think about it.”
The door to the cinema burst open and Finn and Bryonie stormed out.
There was a gun in Finn’s hand.
“Let her go, Colton,” he ordered.
Colton turned slightly. “Do you know what this bitch did?”
“I said let her –”
Taylor suddenly twisted the tranquilizer dart in her hand around and jabbed it in Colton’s neck.
He screamed, smashed her head against the wall, before collapsing.
Taylor stumbled off, trying to regain her balance.
“Goddamn it!” Erin shrieked.
Perry looked up towards Finn. “I don’t have anything to do with this. I was just playing along with the other two.”
“Don’t lie to me, Perry,” Finn said.
“I’m not lying!”
Finn fired a shot in the air. “Then you better start making sense.”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Bryonie wasn’t sure she’d seen Finn like this. His entire posture had changed. His facial features had intensified. She could see a shade of blue radiate underneath the hand which held the gun.
He glanced down at her a moment, recognizing she’d noticed he’d lost his cool a little. He forced a tired smile, trying to assure her. Then moved the gun to his other hand. He gently pushed her into the wall.
Bryonie remained standing there as he approached the group.
“The game is up,” Finn said. “No more lies. Only the truth from here.”
“Buddy, I always tell you the truth,” Perry said anxiously.
He took a step towards Finn, but Finn put out his hand.
“Stay where you are.”
“Fine,” Perry said. “It’s, it’s fine…”
Finn motioned to Taylor. “Make sure he’s breathing.”
“Who?” Taylor fired back. “That cunt on the floor?”
“Just do it.”
Taylor exhaled. She got down on her knees and turned Colton over. She put her fingers to his neck. “He’s fine.”
“Okay,” Finn said. “The cops will be here soon. So we’re just going to talk this out until they get here.”
“What do you mean the cops are coming?” Perry asked. “Who’s called them?”
“They have surveillance in here, honey,” Erin said. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”
Perry frowned at her. “You’re working with the cops?”
“What’s the matter with that?” Finn demanded. “Do you have something to hide?”
“Who me?” Perry spluttered. “No! Do – do you?”
“I don’t think so.”
Perry shook his head. “Are you sure? Cause, I know they’re into you for all this killing and stuff.”
“I thought you said it was all a prank,” Taylor said. “That none of it was real.”
“It’s my fault,” Erin said. “I embellished.”
“You mean?”
“Penelope’s still dead,” she sighed. “They’re all bloody dead.”
“There’s still one question that needs answering,” Finn said. “And we’re not going anywhere until it comes out.”
“What’s that?” Perry asked.
“Who kidnapped Taylor’s friends? Because unless someone told Darien all about everything, then it was someone in this room.”
“Maybe – maybe Colton told him.”
Finn’s face screwed up. “Wake him.”
Perry looked from Taylor to Finn. “Do you mean me?”
“One of you.”
Finn stepped past Erin as Perry got down on his knees to revive Colton.
Erin and Bryonie made eye contact. Erin moved off the screen behind her.
She put a finger to her lips.
“Wait…” Bryonie murmured.
Finn turned sharply as Erin latched onto the gun in his hand.
Bryonie watched in dismay as it went off and Erin went backwards, blood gushing from a hole in her neck.
“Motherfucker!” Perry cried.
He pounced on Finn.
The gun went off again, the bullet whizzing by Bryonie’s face.
Panicked, she rushed down the remaining steps to where Erin was. She looked up to Bryonie, her eyes filled with tears and disbelief. She tried to speak but all that came out was blood.
Bryonie held her hand.
“Bryonie!” Finn yelled.
Bryonie turned.
Perry was on top of Finn, belting the crap out of him.
“Bryonie, the gun!”
She looked back to Erin. She was dead.
Crying herself, Bryonie collapsed onto the floor, the gun in her line of sight. She dragged herself along the carpet by her elbows until she reached it.
The moment the gun was in her hands, it was snatched away.
Bryonie sat up to see Taylor walking over to where Perry had Finn pinned down, putting the gun to the back of Perry’s skull.
“Okay, okay,” Perry exclaimed. “You got me.”
Taylor shot him.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Finn sat up, his face covered in red. “Perry! No! Please, God no!”
“Oh for fuck’s sake,” Taylor muttered stepping over him.
“Perry! Perry, don’t leave me!”
Bryonie crawled across the ground to where Finn was. He was holding Perry’s corpse in his arms, sobbing.
“Finn,” Bryonie said. “Put him down. Please, Finn.”
Finn looked over Perry’s shoulder.
“Bryonie,” he whispered. “I – I’m – I’m sorry I shot –”
“You didn’t mean it,” Bryonie said. “It was an accident.”
“I didn’t mean it either,” Taylor remarked. “The gun just went off.”
They both looked up at her.
She rolled her eyes. “I’m joking, dickheads.”
Finn climbed to his feet. He helped Bryonie up as well.
“I’m sorry,” he repeated. “I know he was attacking me. But he was still my best friend.”
“And a potential murder suspect,” Taylor said.
“Oh, he didn’t do it!” Finn exclaimed. “It was either just Darien who is laughing at us from the grave by now or maybe – maybe Colton is involved as well. It doesn’t matter now. The police will sort it all out.”
He turned to Bryonie.
“Are you okay, my darling?”
Bryonie shook her head. “I feel like hanging myself.”
Finn put his arms around her. She rested her head against his shoulder.
“Guys,” Taylor said behind them. “Hello?”
Finn glanced round at her. “Can you please give me my gun back?”
“Um, I don’t think so.”
“Come on. Before you hurt someone else.”
“Hey! At least I meant to kill the person I shot.”
Bryonie broke away from Finn. “Jesus fucking Christ, Taylor! Enough is enough. Give Finn the fucking gun!”
“No!” Taylor shouted. “We don’t know if we can trust him.”
Bryonie looked up to Finn. “Should I tell her?”
“No, it’s alright,” Finn said. He turned back to Taylor. “I’m working undercover with the Parnormal Police. I’m a registered agent. The agent who sent you here should be able to verify it. If still have communication with her.”
“I don’t give a fuck who you say you are,” Taylor said. “I ain’t going back to jail, okay.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, I’ve gotta make bank and split. You’re meant to be rich, right?”
Finn nodded.
“So how about giving me some money?”
“I – I don’t understand.”
Taylor walked towards them. “I’ll fucking kill you. I’ll shoot you in the fucking face. You think this means something to me? You think you have any idea to the places I’ve been inside my head?”
“Taylor, please,” Bryonie said. “You need to calm down. You’re not thinking straight.”
“You should come with me, Bryonie. Who knows what they’ll try to pin on you.”
“Me?”
“Who know, maybe you shot Erin. It would be his word against yours.”
“Finn and I … We’re friends. He wouldn’t betray me like that.”
“Are you fucking serious?” Taylor gawked. “He’s a complete fucking stranger! You stupid idiot. He doesn’t have feelings for you. I have more feelings about you than this creep, and I don’t even like you.”
Finn moved towards Taylor. “I really do have feelings for her,” he said sincerely. “Bryonie has changed my life. She’s an innocent, beautiful –”
“Shut the fuck up!” Taylor squealed. “I don’t want to hear about your love! I don’t fucking care! I want money and I want it now!”
Finn exhaled. “It’s not that simple.”
She put the gun to his head and bore her teeth at him. “You want me to show you simple?”
“Taylor! Don’t kill him!” Bryonie shouted.
“It’s alright,” Finn said putting his hands in the air. “It’s alright everyone. I’ll be able to get you some money, but I’ll have to wire it to your account –”
“I need cash. I need thousands and thousands of cash. Can you fucking get it for me or not?”
Finn slowly nodded.
“Well then?” Taylor demanded. “Where is it?”
“A safe,” Finn said. “But it’s not mine. It’s Colton’s.”
“Where is this safe? Is it here?”
“No. It’s aboard his ship.”
Taylor grinned. She stepped away from Finn, lowering the gun. “You have a key for that exit door?”
Finn took it from his pocket and showed it to her.
“Then let’s go everybody. You first.”
Finn looked back at Bryonie a moment before heading to the exit. He swiped it unlocked and stepped outside.
“You’re crazy, Taylor,” Bryonie said. “You’re totally insane. You’ll never get away with it.”
“Watch me.”
She then waved the gun at Bryonie and they both moved to the exit where Finn was waiting.
As Bryonie looked back she saw Colton’s body seemed to have changed positions.
His eyes were open.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
The stinging comes before the pain, and lasts well long after it. The stinging hits you like a pounding hammer sending shockwaves throughout your body. The stinging flares up and intensifies. It’s only at the centre of it that you register the thought.
“Oh fuck,” I muttered aloud.
Although my arms were pinned down with weights, I somehow managed to rifle into my pocket and produce the needed tissue to bandage my neck. I lay there for another minute or so, sweat pouring down my face, my heartbeat bouncing inside my head. It would have been so easy to not fight it. To just give in. Let myself be found. Let other people do the work.
“No,” I whispered. “This is on you.”
I forced myself off the floor and onto my knees. The room span. I recalled the loud bangs. The exchange of heated words. At some point, I’d lost control of the situation. I’d handed it over effectively, and now I was in a world of shit.
I looked across to where the other shark’s body was, and forced him over. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. The anger. It just latched onto me. My cheeks boiled. I could feel my skin turn red.
And then I saw Erin, and the mess she was left in.
Now I felt the hatred. The inner, biting, seething, craving hatred. It would go on forever if I let it.
The door at the top of the cinema burst open at that point, and several of my men made their way down. “Boss…? Boss? Are you in here, boss?”
“Down here you idiots,” I growled.
“He’s over here! He’s been shot!”
They helped me into one of the front row seats.
“I’m not shot, you idiot,” I muttered.
“Who did this to you? Where did they go?”
I took a deep breath. Focused myself a moment.
“There’s three of them. Finn and two girls. One of the girls has a gun. They’ll be outside somewhere.”
“Do you know where they’re going?”
I closed my eyes. Shook my head.
“Status four, we have three hostiles trying to escape from the parking lot. One of them is armed. Tread with caution…”
A couple of my men ran off while another couple stayed.
I used them for support to get me back to my feet.
“You don’t need to stick around,” I said. “I’ll be okay from here.”
“Are you sure, boss?”
“Get the fuck out of here.”
They backed away from me.
My eyes rose back up to the exit where Finn and the girls had departed. I knew where they were going of course. Back to the ship. Back after my throwaway stash.
They wouldn’t get it.
“Boss? Where are you going, boss?”
I pushed the exit door open. Stared out to the night time abyss.
I put my hand to the railing and slowly made my way down the concrete steps. Now that I was outside, I was already feeling better. I made my way over to where one of my vehicles lay dormant and slid into the driver’s seat.
I hit the glove box open and pulled out my gloves, carefully slipping each hand into them.
Then I picked up the silver-handled revolver lying in the back.
And I made sure it was loaded.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Finn was driving. Bryonie was sitting to his right.
Taylor was in the backseat.
Bryonie wasn’t sure how far Taylor was willing to take things here. Whether she’d just blow both their brains out if Finn swerved into the nearest police station. She liked to think Finn had a better idea of her capabilities, but so far he’d just been going along with her. Every so often she glanced across at him, just to hold his eyes a moment. Just to strengthen their connection. She could see he was hurting.
Taylor on the other hand, seemed completely bent out of shape. It was Ms. Ferns fault – she should never have trusted Taylor to play along. As well as Bryonie knew her with all they’d been through together, she couldn’t help but deny that ever since that night on the boat her mind seemed to have snapped.
If it wasn’t already broken before.
“You’ll let us go, won’t you?” Bryonie asked as the shipping yard appeared in the distance. “When you get the money that is.”
“What? Do you think I’ll just kill both of you in cold blood for no reason at all?”
Bryonie glanced back at her. “You won’t do that?”
“Of course not,” Taylor said. “You’re still my friend, aren’t you?”
“I’d say our relationship is pretty strained at this point.”
“I don’t know why Bryonie needs to be here,” Finn said. “When we get to the docks, maybe we can just let her wait in the car. So if anything happens to me … she’ll be alright.”
“Nothing’s going to happen to either of you if you get me my money,” Taylor said. “If you were bullshitting me from the start and there’s no money here, you better say now. And we’ll figure something else out.”
Bryonie looked across towards Finn. She hadn’t figured out whether he was being honest with Taylor or not.
“The money’s there,” he said. “No need to change course.”
The car began to slow down. They made a left into the shipping yard and the car rolled round until it was facing Colton’s ship directly. Finn shut off the engine. They waited in silence.
“Out you get,” Taylor ordered. “Both of you.”
Finn opened his door first, shortly followed by Bryonie.
Cruisin' With Sharks (Paranormal Mysteries #1) Page 16