by Mary Stone
3
I paced the length of the cabin that Creighton Holt had so kindly offered up to me, checking my phone for the tenth time in the last thirty minutes. My screen remained infuriatingly blank. No new messages.
I kicked the wall made from knotty pine and growled, listening as the guttural sound bounced around the cozy space. It should have been me tucking my package into Gabe’s mailbox. After the way the ungrateful little shit had turned on me, I deserved to witness in person his pretty face crumple once he realized I’d tracked him down.
“It’s too soon. You’ll get your chance soon enough.”
My whispered reassurance took the edge off my rage. Living alone in the middle of Creighton’s vast acreage, a compound used to deprogram cult members, had led to many conversations with myself.
I huffed. Also Gabe’s fault. If he’d remained loyal the way I deserved, he’d be here with me. By my side. Instead, he’d flipped sides, throwing away my years of nurturing to flock to that redheaded bitch’s side.
Ellie Kline.
My newly crease-free eyes narrowed, and my collagen-enhanced upper lip curled into a snarl. Fire raced through my veins while my muscles clenched in helpless rage.
I consoled myself by walking over to the full-length mirror affixed to the back of the door. A golden-skinned, dark-haired stranger stared back. The new me, or should I say, Abel del Rey from Costa Rica?
That was the name etched across my new passport. Even after all these weeks I’d had to adjust to my new face, I still experienced a momentary disconnect between the image my eyes processed versus the expected one stored in my brain. I reached up and patted my cheek, firmer now, thanks to implants. I ran my fingers through my newly thickened hair. Turned sideways to admire my youthful profile and my tanned skin, brown now, thanks to a daily pill created by Dr. Sandoval.
“See that, Ellie Kline? You think you hurt me by cutting up my face, but I’m like a bone. Try to break me, and I’ll only grow back stronger. Look at me!” I stepped back and spread my arms wide, beaming at my reflection. “You did me a favor. Not only am I twenty years younger, but I’m unrecognizable. All the better to creep up on you when you least expect it and make you pay for everything.”
An unwelcome memory burst into my head. A reminder of the searing agony I’d felt when that bitch bashed my face in, and the way I’d had to flee the United States like a mouse chased by a cat. Me, the Master, flee! Like I was no better than terrified prey.
My reflection changed, the new mouth curling into a sneer. Oh yes, she would pay dearly for that outrage.
Luckily, I’d headed straight to Dr. Sandoval, and after countless painful surgeries, that genius of a man had reconstructed my old face into this brand new, youthful version. I’d been so weak during my long recovery period, completely reliant on the beautiful assistant Dr. Sandoval had assigned to cater to my every need. My long, difficult journey had paid off, though, because here I was, better than ever. More than ready to exact my revenge on those who’d been foolish enough to cross me.
Like Ellie Kline.
Planting my hands on the mirror, I kissed the image before stepping away. “You’ll have your turn, Ellie, don’t worry. But you’ll need to be patient. First, we have to take care of the ungrateful one in our midst.”
I was busy admiring the deep bronze of my skin when a ringing interrupted me. I snatched the phone from my pocket and spotted the embedded link. A video.
Giddiness bubbled up my throat like champagne when Gabe appeared in the frame, grainy but clear enough. Perching on the edge of a brown La-Z-Boy recliner, I watched my clueless ex-assistant’s dark curls bounce while he pranced out to his mailbox like he didn’t have a care in the world. When he withdrew the contents, I pressed my hands together with glee.
Here it comes…
The camera showed Gabe scanning the mail, sliding one envelope beneath the next. When he came to a small package, he went perfectly, deliciously still. Like a beautiful statue, planted right there on the sidewalk.
“Surprise,” I whispered.
I zoomed in, not wanting to miss his expression, and oh, what a treat it was. Those sweet, full lips fell open, and his puppy-dog brown eyes turned round with fear. His fear was a virtual feast. The exact sustenance I needed right now to feed my poor, deprived soul.
I watched, licking my lips while his beautiful face transitioned through a number of emotions before settling on horror.
“Boo.”
As if my softly whispered word had trumpeted in his ear, Gabe jumped and dropped the box. I smiled. The way his hands trembled was gravy topping an already decadent meal.
My heart nearly overflowed when he stumbled back a step. Threatened to explode with joy when his head jerked this way and that, frantic in his search to locate the danger.
“Look all you want. You won’t find me.”
As if hearing me speak, Gabe whirled before picking up the box and darting into the house. The door slammed behind him, followed by the blinds blinking shut, one by one.
I clapped as if just witnessing the finale of the finest ballet. The visual of his panic had been the perfect balm for my dark mood. “Oh, that was delightful. You can run, dearest Gabe…”
I replayed the entire video from start to finish. This time, I could almost taste Gabe’s fear. I wanted to savor the exquisite flavor. I wondered what it would smell like.
My gaze swept the chest of drawers towering next to the mirror and landed on a candle. I lifted the wax square to my nose and inhaled. Ah, vanilla spice. My former assistant looked so innocent that I could imagine his terror smelling equally as sweet.
Replacing the candle, I reached for my phone, intending to hit play for a third time. Before I could tap the little triangle, though, my phone burst into sound. I glanced at the number to identify who was calling.
Milos.
My initial spurt of annoyance at the interruption mellowed. Ah, Milos. At first, I’d been pessimistic about how my friend Creighton’s referral would work out. Creighton was a humanitarian who dedicated his life to deprogramming cult members. I dedicated mine to inflicting pain. Or, as I’d once joked to myself: Creighton returned people to their families, whereas I returned them to their creator.
I needn’t have worried. Creighton’s referral had far surpassed my exacting expectations, and as a result, I owed him a debt of gratitude.
My finger hovered over the button. I was tempted to reject the call, but the video had lulled me into a generous mood, so I accepted instead. My new assistant had done an excellent job. He deserved the reward of hearing my voice. “Well done, Milos. Superb job finding those addresses so quickly. I trust the marshals are none the wiser about the source of the leak?”
“Thank you, sir, and no. I’ve been listening in to the police dispatcher, and our little secretary and her brats haven’t been found yet. And even once they do find her car, they won’t suspect anything. I made sure of it. They’ll think Mirabel took a curve too fast on slick roads and blame the death of her and her two kids on a tragic accident.”
“A tragic accident, yes, I like the sound of that.” I rose and strolled back over to the mirror, smiling at my reflection. “As long as there are no nasty surprises. I would hate for anyone to figure out that Mirabel was our source. It might ruin my game.” My tone dropped a little in warning.
“No, sir, there won’t be. There’s no reason for them to connect Gabe to Mirabel.”
Milos spoke in a rush, and I pictured perspiration stains growing on the tall, sepulchral man’s shirt. Good. A little fear served as a great motivator in times such as these.
“Excellent. Now, the marshals will most likely be moving Gabe to a new safe house at any time. Did you complete the rest of my task as instructed?”
“Yes, sir. I was able to override the security system as well as the security cameras and access Gabe’s house. I planted several tracking devices. One in his shoe underneath the insert, one in his duffel bag through a small slit i
n an outer pocket, another in the jacket he wears most often, and one in his wallet. All inactivated for now, just like you asked.”
Yes, perfect. Everything was going according to plan. The marshals were predictable.
I’d waited a couple months before making my move, waiting for Gabe and his marshal to put down their guard and settle in. Easy enough. And now, before they moved Gabe again, I also knew what they’d do.
In an abundance of caution, they would go over all his belongings with a bug detector, but I was too smart for them. The device could only locate activated bugs. All we had to do was wait for them to finish their scan, and then, presto! We’d activate the tracking devices, which would lead us right to Gabe’s new location.
You can’t hide for long, darling boy. And even if you do, that’s okay. The harder the hunt, the sweeter the kill.
In the privacy of my room, I performed an impromptu dance. This day was looking up more and more every minute. “You’ve made me very happy, Milos.”
“Thank you, sir. That means a lot.”
The eagerness in his voice added extra energy to my step. But it was the last thing he said that had me wanting to skip across the room in sheer delight. “Oh, and I almost forgot to tell you. Gabe has a boyfriend.”
I froze mid-twirl and stared at the phone. Surely my luck couldn’t be this good? “Are you positive?”
“They met up at the coffee shop, and I saw them hold hands under the table when they didn’t think anyone was looking.”
“Oh, Milos, this is such exciting news.” I clapped my hands again, and the stranger in the mirror did the same. The dark eyes reflecting back at me glowed with a deepening satisfaction. “The universe dropped a gift into our laps, and we don’t dare squander it. I think it’s time we sent our dear Gabe another message.”
4
On Tuesday morning, Ellie hovered near the lobby doors of the Charleston Police Department and kept her attention trained on the entrance. She’d hustled out of bed early and grabbed her coffee to go in hopes of intercepting Lead Homicide Detective Harold Fortis the moment he arrived.
The front door swung open, and her boss swept inside. Except for the smattering of gray among his dark curls, Detective Fortis hadn’t changed much since Ellie had started working under him. Tall and solidly built, he exuded an aura of capability, and Ellie swore those golden eyes never missed anything.
Like now, for instance. With a second nature that came with years of training, the forty-something detective’s gaze swept left, then right, before landing on Ellie. His mouth drooped a little when she pushed away from the wall. By the time Ellie blinked, his expression had rearranged itself back to neutral. The head detective didn’t break stride, just jerked his head in the direction of his office.
Ellie rushed to follow him. She knew that was the only invitation she’d get.
The elevator ride to the second floor was silent. Once the doors dinged open, Ellie trailed her boss into the large communal space labeled Violent Crimes, an area that always smelled faintly of coffee and cake. Fortis led her past the seven spaced-out desks to his glass-walled office located along the far wall.
“Shut the door behind you.”
Ellie did as her boss commanded before heading for one of the two chairs opposite his desk.
Fortis sank into his own chair with a creak of old metal parts and steepled his fingers atop the scarred surface. “What can I do for you today, Kline?”
Ellie knew better than to jump right in and ask for a favor. She had to ease her way into her boss’s good graces. “First off, I figured now was a good time to catch you up on my last case.”
Fortis grunted, which Ellie took as a prompt to continue.
“Remember the cold case I closed last week?”
Fortis wrinkled his nose. “You mean the one with the homeless guy found bludgeoned to death in the dumpster six years ago?”
Ellie shook her head. She’d forgotten that she’d cleared that case within the past two weeks too. “The other one. The case with that eighteen-year-old who was found strangled in a storage unit.” Fortis nodded, so she continued. “The homeless case didn’t make any waves, but I’ve had reporters loitering outside my apartment off and on over the eighteen-year-old.”
Fortis perked up at that, leaning forward onto his desk with the beginnings of a hopeful grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. “Good news, I hope?”
Ellie allowed herself a smile in return. For Fortis, it would be great news. The head detective loved any press that made him and his department look good. Which was exactly why Ellie had decided to lead their impromptu meeting this particular way.
“Good news. As it turns out, John Doe’s dad has come up in the world over the last fifteen years. He’s now sitting on the board of a big Texas gas company, and he reached out personally to tell me how grateful he was to finally be able to lay his son to rest.”
“How grateful?”
If Fortis were a dog, he’d be salivating right now, over the juicy bone Ellie had waved beneath his nose. Not that she blamed him. Being head of Violent Crimes came with a lot of pressure and often involved dealing with bad press. It made sense that he was eager for any good press he could get.
She slid a printed confirmation across the desk to him. “Very grateful, to the tune of a half a million dollar donation to our police foundation.”
Fortis’s golden eyes widened before his mouth cracked into one of his rare grins. “Nicely done, Detective.”
Ellie shrugged. She didn’t bust her butt on cold cases to garner the department large cash donations or for the glory that often accompanied them. The most rewarding thing in the world to Ellie was the relief in the faces of the loved ones of the deceased when she was able to finally provide them with closure. The ability to help end their suffering was a precious gift. One she didn’t take lightly. No monetary reward or ego stroke could come close to the high that suffused Ellie from that.
“How many cold cases have you solved already? Let’s see, there were those women from the Ghana trip, Valerie Price. All of Matt Loomis’s victims.” Fortis grimaced when he mentioned the long-distance trucker’s name, as if merely uttering it out loud left a bad taste in his mouth.
Ellie could relate. The long-distance trucker had claimed that he’d murdered upward of ninety women over several decades, leaving a trail of bodies strewn along highways spanning the entire country.
Her boss drummed his fingers on the desk while he tried to come up with the rest. “That messed up Tucker Penland case. And then…Katarina.”
At the mention of the woman’s name, Ellie stiffened. “Katarina’s case doesn’t really count, though. It’s not like justice was served.”
Katarina Volkov had been Kingsley’s protégé and partner in crime. The cunning woman had led Ellie on several wild chases, eluding her more than once before Ellie finally managed to catch up to her in Fayetteville, North Carolina. But only because Ellie caught a break.
She and Clay had discovered that the daughter Katarina believed to have died at birth was alive and well and living with a young couple after being traded from family to family in an adoption trafficking ring.
When she and Clay had realized that Katarina had uncovered the same secret, it turned into a race to see who would reach Harmony first. Ellie recalled her fierce battle with the other woman, and the painful bruises she’d carried for weeks afterward. With a little luck and skill, she’d managed to subdue Katarina and bring her to justice.
Only justice had never been served.
Ellie’s lips tightened as the shock of Katarina’s fate washed over her anew. Instead of living out the remainder of her years behind bars like she deserved, Katarina had taken a deal. The beautiful, clever criminal had turned state’s evidence in exchange for entry into WITSEC. Now, she was off living under a new name, in a new location, with no consequences for all the terrible acts she’d committed. That didn’t sit well with Ellie.
In all fairness, Katarina�
��s situation was complicated. Her infant daughter had been kidnapped and sold to the highest bidder. No mother deserved that fate. Despite her feelings about Katarina, the person, Ellie’s heart warmed a little for Katarina, the mother. A mother who, somewhere out there, had finally been reunited with her daughter.
For better or worse.
Ellie prayed it was for the better…for them both, but especially for the innocent child.
As far as Ellie knew, Katarina was the only other person besides herself to escape Kingsley’s clutches, but that was the end of their similarities. Ellie had only been held captive by the sociopath for a short time, whereas Kingsley had snatched Katarina as a ten-year-old and raised her as his own.
Ellie didn’t want to think of how she might have turned out if their situations had been reversed. Nothing excused Katarina’s crimes, but there was room in Ellie’s heart for compassion, for the innocent little girl Katarina had once been.
When Ellie looked up from her lap, Fortis studied her with an impatient frown. The expression surprised her into blurting out a startled, “What?”
Her boss snorted. “Don’t what me. I know what you’re doing, and you need to stop. A win is a win. Accept it and move on.” His gaze fell to the haphazard stack of files on the left side of his desk. His deep sigh spoke volumes. “Now, if that’s all you needed…”
Ellie twisted in her chair. “Um, actually, there was one other thing I wanted to talk to you about.”
Fortis dragged a hand through his dark curls before rubbing his temple. Ellie was tempted to offer him some ibuprofen but kept her mouth shut. “Of course there is. Hurry it up, then. I’ve got a shitload of files to get through before my meeting at noon.”
Not the warmest invitation, but it would have to do. “I got a call last night from Gabe Fisher.”
Her boss’s head whipped back up from the file he’d opened. “And you didn’t lead with this, why?”