“She did develop psychic abilities. She tried to hide it from me, but I found out the truth.”
“Which is why my parents decided to hide from you. They figured you would want to take her, use her, and experiment on her as if she was nothing more than a lab rat.”
“As far as I was concerned, that’s exactly what she was.” Spencer’s tone was airy. “My parents didn’t need her in the first place. They had me. I was the heir. She was the spare.”
Rowan felt sick to her stomach. “I’m betting your parents didn’t feel that way.”
“Of course not. They doted on her, spoiled her. She was allowed to do whatever she wanted while I was kept under the watchful eye of a nanny for the bulk of my life. Even as an adult, I was forced to have a companion.”
“Because you’re nuts,” Sally chimed in, speaking for the first time in a long while. “Your parents realized you were unbalanced and had the money to pay someone to act as your babysitter. You needed it because your interior lightbulb doesn’t completely charge.”
Spencer scowled. “I don’t believe you’re part of this conversation.”
“She’s my friend,” Rowan corrected. “She can say whatever she wants. You did kidnap her, after all. If she wants to participate in the conversation, I believe she’s earned the right.”
“She’s an unimportant person in a very small, very unimportant world,” Spencer corrected. “She doesn’t have the right to say anything to me.”
“Because you’re so important?”
Spencer’s answer was simple. “Yes.” He steepled his fingers and rested them on his knee. “I’m trying to make you understand that you don’t belong with these people you’ve surrounded yourself with, Rowan. Thanks to my experiments, my sister developed a gift. So did the man she chose to procreate with. Because of what I did for them, they had you ... and you’re something special.”
Rowan couldn’t refrain from rolling her eyes. “You are a disgusting piece of work,” she complained. “I mean ... absolutely disgusting. You’re a sociopath. You have no conscience. You terrorized my parents for years — don’t bother denying it — and forced my father’s hand so he had no choice but to leave.”
“Yes, that was a smart move,” Spencer mused. “I didn’t think he had it in him. He was unbelievably attached to you, which I found ridiculous. I only asked him and Caroline for access to you on the weekends so I could start testing you. They were upset and refused. Can you believe that?”
“Imagine that,” Sally drawled, rolling her eyes.
“I know.” Spencer clearly didn’t grasp sarcasm. “I set up the experiment in Michigan for her specifically, made sure she would find the notice. She was looking for money because she refused to take extra from our father. She told people, including her husband, that he cut her off, but she was too proud to take a handout. She said her education would mean more if she worked for it herself.”
“She sounds like a smart woman,” Sally offered, causing Rowan to smile in thanks. “You sound like the world’s biggest turd.”
Spencer ignored the insult. “She didn’t know I was the one who set up the experiments, of course. Even after — we’re talking years after — I didn’t tell her I was the one collecting the data. It was more fun keeping her in the dark.”
“No, you thought you could work it to your advantage,” Rowan corrected. “You knew she didn’t trust you. If you approached her, admitted what you’d done, she was likely to call the police ... or maybe even your father. She would’ve made sure to cut you off at the knees. I was young when she died, but I recognize that about her. She wouldn’t have put up with you for very long.”
“My sister was unenlightened,” Spencer snapped. “She couldn’t see the greatness I aspired to. Her puny brain couldn’t grasp that there was more out there than a husband and family. She was actually happy with that idiot she married, with you. It made me sick.”
“How sad for you,” Rowan clucked, shaking her head. “She legally changed her name at some point, right? She wanted to stay off your radar. That’s why I never knew her real last name. She was trying to protect me.”
“Your father helped her with that. He did a good job. I have to say, I searched for years to find you and came up empty. That all changed when you got your driver’s license. You were fingerprinted for it. Do you remember that?”
“Vaguely.”
“I had a copy of your fingerprints from when you were a toddler. Your parents didn’t know I took them. In fact, your father never met me. My sister didn’t allow it. She said she was speaking for both of them, but I knew she was only speaking for herself. I had a feeling it might be necessary to find you one day. Your mother was being less than cooperative and you were too young to test. I had to take a step back and bide my time.”
“So you lost us until I was a teenager and my fingerprints were loaded into the system,” Rowan mused. “Once that happened, you had a general location.”
“I assumed they fled Michigan,” he supplied. “I figured they would move far away from the state. I gave up even searching there.”
“Which is probably why they stayed.”
“Perhaps.” Spencer’s lips curved into a ridiculous sneer. “It took me about two weeks to find you after that. I didn’t approach your father right away. By then, your mother was gone. I was surprised. I thought I would find her, too, and have to steal you away. It was actually a relief to know that she was gone. I didn’t even have to mourn her because it happened so long before.”
Rowan hated every stupid expression the man made. “How great for you. Fake mourning is the absolute worst, isn’t it?”
“Totally. Your father was still around, though. I knew better than to approach him straight up. He would balk and run again if he realized who I was. Instead, I decided to hire people to watch him. I created a corporation — the Phoenix Society — and painted them as a secretive think tank.
“By this time, I was having trouble with my own father,” he continued. “He was trying to yank my funding. He insisted I get a real job and stop wasting my time. That’s what he called it. A waste. He couldn’t see what I had to offer and he actually threatened me.
“I was beyond him, though, at that point.” He grimaced at the memory. “I’d been funneling money away for years, wisely investing the allowance he gave me ... and the one he thought he was sending to my sister. He believed I didn’t know about the secret transfers. That was ludicrous, though. I did. I’m the one who contacted him on behalf of Caroline. That allowed me to get twice the money with minimal effort.”
Rowan’s fury quadrupled. “You pretended to be my mother so you could get money? That is ... despicable.”
“My father is an unreasonable man.”
“Your father recognized what you were and wanted to help my mother hide from you,” Rowan corrected. “He knew you were dangerous to her, to me. He probably wanted to meet me, or at least talk to Mom occasionally. He couldn’t without risking you finding her, though.
“He did the right thing,” she continued. “He kept his distance for her sake. He probably doesn’t even realize that she’s dead.”
“He’s still depositing money in the secret account,” Spencer volunteered. “If he thought it was going to me, he wouldn’t bother. He’s been searching for me for years, you see. He’s been trying to find me so he can lock me up.”
“In a straightjacket?” Sally asked hopefully.
“A special hospital.” Spencer uttered the words with such disdain he almost spit as he said them. “He said I needed help, that I was delusional. Do you know why he said that?”
“I’m guessing it’s because you’re delusional,” Rowan offered.
“It’s because he’s always been jealous of me. He’s always wanted to chase important dreams like me but never had the balls. He wants to be me. That’s why he insists on taking my freedom from me.”
“Yeah, that sounds totally believable,” Sally deadpanned, her eyes shifting to R
owan. “It’s good this guy got all the crazy in your family because that means there’s nothing left for the rest of you. You’re lucky. They spread the crazy around in my family.”
Rowan choked on a strangled laugh. “Yeah. You have a point.”
“She has nothing of the sort,” Spencer shot back. “I know exactly what I’m doing. I’ve set this all up from the beginning. I’ve been chasing you for years, Rowan. Do you want to know why?” He didn’t wait for an answer. “I’ll tell you why. I’m looking for a perfect specimen.
“At first I thought it was your mother,” he continued. “She wasn’t strong enough, though. Then I found Darcy. She was the offspring of one of my other experiments. She’s strong like you, has a lot of the same talents, but her gift is hit or miss. I figured out why, though. Only one of her parents was part of my experiment. Both your parents were. That means you’re my prime specimen.”
Rowan was done with this ludicrous conversation. “We’re leaving.” She made up her mind on the spot and pointed herself toward Sally. “You can’t keep us here and we’re leaving.”
“No, you’re not.” Spencer’s eyes filled with fire as he got to his feet. “If you think I’m going to just let you leave after all the work I’ve done to get you here, you’re crazy. I’ve put too much time and effort into your creation. You belong to me now.”
“You’re a sick crackhead,” Rowan snapped. “I mean ... I’m not going anywhere with you. You can’t make me. You don’t have the strength to keep me here. It’s two against two. Now, I know you’re crazy and that usually means you would have the edge, but I’m fed up. I’m pretty sure I can take you.”
“Me, too,” Sally enthused, wriggling her wrists as Rowan attacked the ropes. “Let’s get out of here.”
“You’re not going anywhere,” Spencer roared. “You’re coming with me and that’s the end of it.” He must’ve realized he sounded crazy because he adjusted his tone. “You just have to see the bigger picture, Rowan.” He sounded perfectly reasonable, but Rowan knew better.
“I do see the bigger picture. You’re not part of it.”
“I will not allow you to leave.” He stomped his foot, as if that would somehow seal the deal. “This is my dream and you’re not going to ruin it.”
Rowan opened her mouth to tell him exactly where he could stuff it, but the sound of scuffling feet on the floor caught her attention. She swiveled quickly, expecting to find Quinn and the rest of her backup making their way inside. Instead, she was absolutely flabbergasted when Darcy strolled through the door. She wasn’t alone, though. She had a man with her ... and his face was one she recognized.
“You?” Rowan furrowed her brow in confusion as she met the steady gaze of the man from the deck, the one she felt as if she should recognize even though she was certain she’d never seen him before. Bill Hill. That was the name she internally laughed over. “What are you doing here?”
“Ah, Bill,” Spencer enthused, clapping his hands. “You’re right on time. I’ve been expecting you. Although, our cargo arrived extremely early.” He cast a chiding look in Darcy’s direction. “You were early delivering the note, my dear. I told you it had to be done at a specific time. Obviously you jumped the gun.”
Instead of apologizing, Darcy made a face. “No, I did things exactly as I meant to do them. I used the keycard I took from Sally, put the note under the door … and then this happened. This … idiot … came alone.” She jerked her thumb in Rowan’s direction. “What were you thinking? I delivered the note early so there would be no one to tip him off that you had the cavalry with you.”
Rowan felt vindicated. “I knew you were working with us. Quinn didn’t believe me, but I knew it.”
“Yeah, well, I don’t know that I would say I was working with you,” Darcy countered. “I was most definitely working against him, though. I always wanted to run but didn’t have the strength until he killed that poor woman on the deck the other night. That was what sealed it for me.”
Rowan’s heart gave a little jolt even though she knew it to be true. “Why kill her if he thought she was me?”
“He confronted her,” Darcy replied. “She denied being you, of course, and he lost his temper. By the time he realized the truth it was too late. He’s not exactly a good guy. He strangled her … and fast. I didn’t even realize it was happening until I showed up after the fact. She was already gone. I tried to help but … she was already gone.”
The news was sobering, and it would be some time before Rowan could move completely past it. She kept reminding herself he was to blame.
“What about your friend?” The man from the deck was the wildcard, Rowan realized. “Who are you? What are you doing here?”
“He’s in charge of transportation,” Spencer volunteered. “He’ll be getting us off this island in due haste. I don’t want to delay, Bill. You made a promise to me and I expect you to deliver.” He extended his finger in Rowan’s direction. “Tie her up and let’s get moving.”
“You want me to kidnap her?” Bill challenged, his voice shifting from the folksy tone Rowan remembered from their initial interaction. Now she was definitely convinced she knew him ... but still couldn’t peg from where.
“I want you to kidnap her,” Spencer confirmed. “Good grief. We’ve been over this a million times. I need her. She has something I want.”
“I just needed you to repeat it.” The man reached into his back pocket and came back with a pair of restraints. They looked official, which caused Rowan’s blood to turn to ice as she took a deliberate step away from him.
“Don’t even think about it,” she warned. “I’ll hurt you if you try to put your hands on me.”
“I have no intention of putting my hands on you,” he replied. “I’m well aware of what your boyfriend would do to me if I tried. I mean ... I still think I might be a better match — we have horror movies in common, after all — but I’ve resigned myself to the fact that you two belong together. These are for him.” He gestured toward Spencer, whose expression was turning dark.
That’s when things slipped into place for Rowan. “Brimstone?”
He chuckled at her bewildered expression. “That’s not my name and you know it.”
“Alex Masters.” Now she understood exactly what was going on. “You’ve been undercover on the ship this entire time.”
“I don’t understand.” Sally jerked her head from side to side. “What’s happening? Who is he?”
“He’s an FBI agent,” Rowan replied. “He was on the horror cruise.”
“Oh.” Realization dawned on Sally’s face. “I remember you ... although you were much hotter with the long hair.”
Alex shrugged in amusement. “I have to follow the whims of the job.” His eyes briefly locked with Rowan’s. “We have some things to discuss. It will have to be after I take this idiot into custody, though.”
Rowan nodded dumbly. “Okay.”
“Oh, and by the way, your boyfriend is on his way inside. I had to cuff him to a light post to keep him from ruining my sting operation. He’s going to be spitting mad.”
“At both of us,” Rowan noted. “He’s going to ground me to my quarters for weeks for taking off without him.”
“And rightfully so.”
“Yeah, well ... .” Rowan turned at the sound of raised voices, her heart leaping when she caught sight of Quinn. He was the first one through the door. He wasn’t alone, though. He had an army with him ... and they were all armed.
He exhaled heavily when he saw her, slowing his pace. His chest heaved as their hearts and gazes connected. “You have no idea how much trouble you’re in,” he complained as he started moving. “I mean ... you’re going to be buried under a mountain of it.”
Rowan was so happy to see him all she could do was let out a strangled sob.
“So much trouble,” Quinn muttered as he caught her in his arms and wrapped himself around her, burying his face in her hair. “I mean ... so much.” He burst into tear
s as he stroked her hair. “As soon as I’m done petting you, we’re going to have a really long talk about what’s appropriate in a situation like this. It’s going to take hours.”
“I think you’re going to have to get in line. It seems everyone wants to talk to me.”
“I can wait.” He pressed his lips to hers, sinking into a kiss that felt as if it had been years in the making rather than months.
They were alive.
They were together.
They were finally free.
20
Twenty
Cleanup was easy.
Alex had five men with him, and they took Spencer and Julia into custody. Darcy was another story. Apparently she contacted the FBI before setting sail on the cruise, informed them Spencer planned to kidnap his niece, and they opted for a sting operation. Spencer was wanted for more than one crime. A murder charge would be additional icing on the cake. When Alex found out that Rowan was the niece in question, he volunteered for the job.
“You could’ve told me who you were,” Rowan complained, her tone accusatory, as Quinn rubbed her back in front of the warehouse. The police activity had garnered a lot of attention, enough that most of the people on the street fled when the lights started flashing. Now only law enforcement and Nick’s merry band of mercenaries remained.
Alex merely shrugged as he pulled off his fake nose. Rowan took it from him, curious, and made a face when she felt the modeling clay give.
“That’s gross.” She handed it back, her expression remaining dark. “Seriously, though, why didn’t you tell me? I would’ve felt better knowing you were watching the situation.”
Alex tilted his head to the side, considering. “That’s why I didn’t tell you,” he said finally, rubbing his hand over a towel and pressing the towel to his face so he could remove the rest of his disguise. “You were acting squirrelly, nervous. I needed you to keep acting that way so it wouldn’t tip off Spencer. He knew you were aware of his identity. He was getting off on messing with you. You’re not a very good actress. You would’ve given it away.”
Farewell Seas Page 57