“You fool,” Nick snarled at the older man. “You should know better. You’ll ruin everything. Get yourself cleaned up and join the others outside before you’re missed.”
Davis slowly straightened and staggered up the stairs. Nick approached Asher, who seemed more than slightly off balance. He bled from the head and swayed while breathing heavily, unable to focus on the large man. Nick threw a punch and struck Asher in the face. Asher stumbled backwards and fell against the wall past where Jacey lie. Nick pulled a knife from his pocket and approached him. Asher could barely stand without clinging to the wall. He glanced at Jacey’s motionless body on the floor just behind Nick then glared at him, showing little emotion.
“What’s wrong? Can’t take me in a fair fight?” Asher snarled while breathing heavily.
“The legendary Konrad Asher,” Nick announced with a teasing grin. “Toughest son-of-a-bitch in the entire town. Don’t seem so tough now, huh? Maybe love’s made you weak.”
“No, the concussion made me weak,” Asher remarked. “Love gives me the strength to kill you.”
Asher breathed heavily and wiped the blood from his temple. He slowly straightened and composed himself. Although he looked ready for a fight, it was doubtful he could maintain his balance for more than a moment. Though he possibly only needed one moment.
“Do you think by beating me you’ll be more respected--more feared?” Asher demanded.
“You’re the most feared person in town,” Nick announced casually while grinning. “Beating you will make me the most feared.”
Asher again looked behind Nick. The file boxes toward the back were now swiftly burning and the flames were rising higher. It wouldn’t be long before the room was engulfed in smoke and flames. Asher met his stare, smirked, and chuckled lowly.
“But I’m not the most feared, and I’m certainly not the most dangerous,” Asher casually informed him. “What motivates a man is what holds the power.”
Nick appeared confused then angry. Asher struggled to maintain his balance while clinging to his bleeding head as he breathed heavily.
“I’ve heard enough from you,” Nick announced with a sneer, clearly annoyed. “Quit stalling. You won’t get the chance to recover.”
Asher attempted a smile and clutched the nearby shelf for support. “I don’t need to recover to defeat you,” Asher informed him. “The most dangerous person I know is standing right behind you.” His grin was mildly unsettling and almost certainly psychotic. “And she looks really pissed.”
Nick stared at Asher while attempting to understand the comment. He uncertainly glanced to the floor behind him. Jacey was gone! Nick instinctively turned. Jacey stood directly behind him with a bitter, hateful look on her face. She suddenly spun into a roundhouse kick and struck him on the side of the head. Nick was thrown several feet, dropping his knife. He caught his balance and looked at Jacey with surprise as he straightened.
“You’re supposed to be dead!”
Jacey lifted her shirt to reveal the bulletproof vest from Asher’s closet with the name ‘Asher’ embossed on it. Her look remained venomous.
“Yeah, well, I keep some bad company,” she snapped.
Jacey kicked him again. Nick blocked the kick and caught her ankle, proud of his fast reflexes. Jacey tossed herself to the floor and kicked with her other foot, striking him in the face. Nick stumbled backward from the severe blow. Jacey rolled across the floor, sprang to her feet, and continued with a series of wild kicks. Nick managed to block one of several and punched her in the chest. Jacey was thrown back, startling her. She caught herself then straightened and smirked while indicating the bulletproof vest.
“Nice try,” she scoffed then attacked him with several more kicks.
Nick was thrown back several steps with each kick. Asher clung to his shelf and watched with a tiny, satisfied grin. Jacey glared at Asher as she blocked Nick’s fist.
“What the hell are you smiling at?” she demanded then returned to the fight at hand.
Nick suddenly tackled Jacey to the floor, straddled her waist, and placed his hand on her throat, attempting to strangle her. Jacey bit his hand until he screamed and released her. She punched him harshly in the mouth, rammed her knee into his groin, and heaved him off her. Nick clutched himself in agony. Jacey scrambled to her feet.
Asher smiled and chuckled. “That’s my girl.”
Jacey looked at Asher and gave him a tiny smile and a wink. Nick pulled himself to his feet.
“Behind you,” Asher casually announced with a slight gesture of his finger.
Jacey barely looked behind her as she spun into a kick, casting Nick backward and to the floor. He hit the floor harshly and appeared momentarily dazed. He grabbed the discarded knife, sprang to his feet, and lunged for Jacey. Asher leaped to the floor, grabbed his discarded gun partially beneath the shelf, and flipped himself into a sitting position with the gun aimed. Jacey saw Asher with the gun aimed as Nick lunged for her. She let out a startled scream and leaped out of Asher’s line of fire. The second she was clear, Asher pulled the trigger, shooting Nick directly in the forehead. Nick was thrown backward and to the floor, possibly not knowing what even hit him. Asher collapsed against the bags of shredded files with an exhausted groan. Jacey slowly lifted herself to her hands and knees and stared at the dead man. She raised a brow with a cold expression.
“Nothing personal, Nick,” she snarled.
Jacey slowly pulled herself to her feet and looked back at Asher with a tiny smile.
“Nice shot--considering your condition.”
Asher groaned and attempted to sit up straight. He managed a weak smile. “Don’t tell anyone I’d been aiming for his chest,” he announced. “I didn’t mean to take away your fun, but the smoke is getting thick in here, and I felt we should move things along.”
Both looked at the rapidly burning files. Jacey hurried to Asher’s side and helped him to his feet.
“Good thinking,” she replied as he leaned on her. “I think we’d better go.”
“Just when we were starting to have fun,” Asher teased.
Chapter Thirty-seven
Timon entered the reception office and paused within the doorway. He grimaced at the sight of Carl’s outstretched hand, knowing the man in Nathan’s office doorway was dead. Timon nervously crossed the reception office and slowly approached the body just beyond the doorway. He stepped through the office doorway, crouched alongside Carl’s body, and cringed while reaching into his jacket pocket, feeling for a cell phone while attempting to avoid touching any blood. He gingerly removed Carl’s cell phone then exhaled with relief. He quickly stood and turned. Monroe was standing directly behind him with his gun aimed. Timon suddenly cried out, stepped backwards, and stumbled over Carl’s body. He fell to the floor, looked at the body, and screamed again while scrambling to his feet. Monroe clutched his head while unsteadily holding his gun. Timon once more stared at Monroe and groaned.
“Damn it, Monroe,” Timon cried out. “Where the hell have you been?”
“Some bastard coldcocked me. Locked me in a closet.” Monroe lowered the gun and nearly dropped it. He stared at Timon with concern. “Is help on the way?”
Timon lifted the phone in response. “Angel was supposed to call the police for me, but you can never tell with that one. I thought I’d make certain and call them myself. I need to get help then find Jacey. I’m convinced she’s doing something stupid as we speak.”
“Where’s Jacey now?” Sheriff Monroe asked.
“I have no clue,” Timon replied then hesitated and looked around. “Do you smell smoke?”
“Probably from me,” he announced. “I was in the smoking lounge for over an hour.” Monroe extended his hand to Timon. “Give me the phone. I’ll call for help. You just get yourself out of here in case the killer’s still running around. If you see anyone else, get them out as well.”
Timon uncertainly handed Monroe the cell phone. “What do you intend to do?”
&
nbsp; “I’m going to find Jacey,” Monroe replied. “Go on, just get out of here.”
“You can barely stand on your own. How do you expect to find Jacey?” Timon asked then appeared sympathetic toward the injured sheriff. “Let me help you outside. I’ll look for Jacey and Asher.”
Monroe pressed several buttons on the phone then eyed Timon. “I’m a tough bastard,” he grumbled. “I’ll be fine. Just go.”
Monroe was about to speak into the phone when he suddenly swayed and collapsed to the floor. Timon watched him fall and land on the floor with a thump. He stared at the fallen sheriff and blinked several times.
“Yeah, you’re tough all right.”
†
Professor groaned and slowly sat up within the smoking lounge. He was obviously disoriented and dizzy from the stun gun assault. Roxy stood over him with a small revolver aimed at him. He slowly lifted his head, saw the gun aimed at his face, and then looked at her with surprise and confusion.
“I don’t understand, Roxy. Why?” Professor gasped, although he didn’t dare move.
“Because my father is a corrupt, manipulating bastard,” she snarled. “He’s been smothering me for years. He only wants to breed me with the right man, so he can have the precious son he always wanted.” She sneered with disgust. “Fixing me up with that pig Brian!” She glared demandingly at him and waved the gun. “Can you believe he actually told me I should forgive Brian for sleeping with Angel? My perfect escape from that hellish relationship and he thought I should just forgive the prick.” She shook her head defensively. “Jeannette was the only one who understood me, and my father took her away from me.”
“What?” Professor gasped softly. “Jeannette was having an affair with you? Is that why your father killed her?”
“No, that wasn’t why he had her killed, besides I’m sure he had Nick do it for him,” she snarled while curling her upper lip at the thought. “He’d never get his own hands dirty.”
“Then why would he kill Jeannette?”
“For the same reason he killed her husband, Doyle,” Roxy proclaimed. “Doyle was blackmailing his partners and a few other club members. My father found out and arranged an accident. It was a win-win for him. Doyle’s portion of the club reverted back to the surviving members and Jeannette got nothing. While I was helping her pack up some of Doyle’s belongings, we discovered her husband’s blackmail evidence. I talked her into continuing with the blackmail and even got my father to give her a job at the club to keep her in the loop.” She frowned with disgust. “I never suspected he’d have her killed for it. That’s when I decided I was bringing my father and this entire club down to their knees. They were going to pay for killing Jeannette.” She snorted a laugh. “I would have loved to have seen the look on my father’s face when he opened that blackmail note after Jeannette’s death. I’m surprised he didn’t have a heart attack.”
“So you were blackmailing your own father?”
“I hated him,” she lashed out. “Look at this place? Men’s Smoking Lounge. I’d love to see the place burn to the ground with all those chauvinistic pigs trapped inside, lighting their cigars on the flames consuming them.”
“That’s dark,” Professor muttered.
“I planted evidence to make sure the blackmail pointed back to Brian and Asher,” she remarked. “I knew he’d love an excuse to go after Asher. He never liked the guy. I hid the evidence in Brian’s office, hoping the police would find it, but Nathan got there first. I saw him sneaking into the museum that night I was there. Despite that he attempted to use it against me, it worked out better than I’d anticipated.”
“Is that why your father killed Brian?”
She suddenly glared at him with hostility. “My father didn’t kill Brian, I did,” she snapped. “I hated him. I hated that I allowed him to put his filthy hands on me all for father’s approval. I hated him for sleeping with Angel and betraying me like that. That bastard took my virginity and then turned around and slept with that slut Angel! He deserved what he got.”
“Wait,” Professor remarked while attempting to stall for more time. “Why did you kill Carl?”
“I didn’t kill Carl,” she shot back with anger. “I just needed to stay out of the way and let my father melt down. Nathan nearly ruined everything with those photos he found of me with Jeannette. The pervert actually confronted me about my affair, threatening to expose it if I didn’t give in to his advances. His biggest mistake was thinking I was innocent in Brian’s murder. I left the evidence Nathan used against me for my father to find. I’m sure he went ballistic. I wouldn’t doubt Nathan got his. Nick probably took care of it for him. My father is probably already on his quest to deal with Asher as well. It doesn’t really matter who wins. The other will end up in jail, and I’ll have gotten away with murder, because everything points back to my father, Brian, and Asher. I’ll finally be free from my father and inherit all his money at the same time.” She then frowned. “There’s only one down side to all of this.”
“And what’s that?”
“I didn’t want to kill you, but it looks like I have no choice. You were supposed to be my ally and my alibi. You were supposed to tell everyone you suspected Asher of blackmail, but you just couldn’t let go of that blind faith.” Roxy aimed the gun at Professor’s head and cocked it. “Sorry, Professor. I really do like you.”
Roxy squeezed the trigger. He pinched his eyes shut and awaited the gunshot. A shot rang out. Professor let out a soft gasp then slowly opened one eye and looked at Roxy. She stared at Professor with a look of horror on her face. Blood soaked through the front of her shirt. Her lips parted to speak but no words came only blood seeping from her mouth. As the gun fell from Roxy’s hand, she sank to the floor. Professor looked across the smoking lounge to the doorway. Timon stood in the doorway with Monroe’s gun stiff in his hand and a horrified expression on his face. He stared at Roxy a moment then dropped the gun with a gasp.
“Oh, my God,” he cried out while clutching his face. “I’ve shot a girl!”
Professor stared at Timon a moment as if uncertain how to respond to any of what had just happened. Professor released the breath he had been holding and groaned softly while forcing a smile at his friend.
“Yeah, but you saved my life.”
Timon stared at Professor a moment as if unable to respond then managed a smile. “I did, didn’t I?” He frowned and shook his head. “I’m going to need months of therapy.”
Professor groaned and slowly pulled himself to his feet with use of a nearby chair. Timon hurried toward his side and helped him to his feet.
“We need to go back to the executive offices and haul Sheriff Monroe out of there. He has a concussion,” Timon informed him. “I’m worried, because I’ve been smelling smoke, and it’s getting worse.”
“If there’s a fire, wouldn’t the alarms sound?” Professor asked.
“Jacey thinks someone disabled them, so they could shut off the security cameras. Considering someone murdered Carl, that’s a pretty good assumption.” Timon then hesitated. “I hope Jacey’s okay. She went after Asher. If something’s happening, you know it’s happening around Asher. We should look for her.”
“Let’s get to Sheriff Monroe first,” Professor announced. “We should call the fire department just to be safe. They were supposed to respond to the earlier alarm, according to Angel, but I haven’t heard the siren.”
Timon flashed Carl’s cell phone he held. “Let’s call them and find out.”
“Call them on our way to the offices.”
Chapter Thirty-eight
Smoke from the file room fire was already starting to creep its way up to the first floor. It wasn’t much of a surprise that the fire alarms didn’t sound or that the sprinklers didn’t turn on and douse the flames. Jacey helped Asher past the open reception office door. She happened to look inside and saw Monroe lying unconscious on the floor not far from her desk. Jacey released Asher in the doorway and hurried to Monroe�
�s fallen side. She gently tapped his face until he woke.
“Monroe, are you okay?”
Monroe moaned softly then stirred and nearly sprang to his feet. Once he realized who was standing over him, he stared at Jacey and appeared almost angry.
“Where the hell have you been?” the sheriff demanded, startling her.
“You’re feeling your old self,” Jacey muttered. “I’d say you’re going to be fine.”
Asher looked out the doorway then back at them. He clutched his handkerchief to his still bleeding head then glanced at the bloody rag. He tossed the handkerchief aside and stared at Jacey, who helped steady Monroe.
“Do you think you can get Monroe out of the building?” Asher questioned.
She suddenly glared at him with annoyance. “Where the hell do you think you’re going?”
Asher smirked, possibly at her spirited attitude. “Just need to tie up a loose end.”
Jacey straightened while carelessly releasing Monroe. Monroe collapsed to the floor with a thud and a painful groan. She took two quick steps toward Asher in the doorway.
“Konrad, you’re not going after Davis,” Jacey cried out with a look of hostility on her face.
“Konrad?” he remarked with surprise and grinned teasingly. “I must be in trouble.”
“In case you’ve forgotten,” she remarked and indicated the smoke wafting along the ceiling, “the building is on fire. We need to get out of here now.”
Asher indicated the sheriff on the floor. “You just get Monroe out of the building,” he insisted in a calm, reassuring tone. “The fire department should be here soon. They’ll handle the fire.” He flashed a charming smile. “I’ll meet you out front in five minutes.”
Jacey was about to protest when Asher quickly kissed her on the lips and left the office area. He seemed more energetic than he had been just three minutes ago. She sometimes wondered what motivated him. Jacey glared demandingly at the barely conscious sheriff still on the floor.
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