Deadly Potential

by Jennifer Carole Lewis

  “That’s why no one noticed him on stage.” Aggi straightened.

  “Actually a few people did see him. They forgot him once they looked away. And to add complications, this particular spectre is also an elite hacker.”

  “It makes sense.” Ben gritted his teeth. “In person, he’d be forgotten constantly. With a computer between him and everyone else, he could be remembered.”

  How horrible. Katie’s hand crept to her mouth, but her creative brain seized on the concept. Done correctly, the idea could bring an arena to tears. Moving through life unseen and unremembered. Lost between tick and tock.

  Aggi wasn’t distracted by tragic inspiration. “How can we stop someone who can walk past a guard, and no one will remember him a minute later?”

  “With physical locks,” Ben answered gruffly. “Digital ones are vulnerable to hacking, but we haven’t seen him pick a lock that requires a key.”

  “Backstage is physically locked, and he got in,” Aggi retorted.

  “She’s right.” Katie stood up. “I told the guards to seal all backstage access.”

  Ray glanced at Ben, who scowled back.

  There’s something they don’t want to tell me. Katie stared at her lover with narrowed eyes. One night didn’t entitle her to share all of his secrets, but this one directly affected her. Don’t treat me like a damsel.

  “It was Special Agent Orlund.” Ben’s guttural snarl resonated like a heavy metal bass. “He ordered two doors left unlocked to give the unsub access to you.”

  Chapter 19

  “We don’t know for sure. Orlund might not have been the one.” Ray glared at Ben.

  Ben ignored his partner’s warning. Keeping his fury in check took all of his effort. He used Katie as bait.

  Ray continued. “The security company received instructions from a male caller who gave Orlund’s badge number, but the unsub could have gotten it.”

  Ben wanted to blame Orlund. Or more accurately, he wanted to beat the FBI agent into a pulp for risking Katie’s life. It didn’t matter how many times he reminded himself that the evidence didn’t confirm Orlund’s involvement. This is exactly what I worried would happen if I let myself sleep with her.

  Even with his instincts going wild, he didn’t regret the night before. It had been the most incredible night of his life, and only whetted his appetite for more. He couldn’t wait to take Katie up on her invitation for tonight.

  “What’s the next step? Especially if we can’t trust the FBI?” Katie asked. Her hands were wrapped around her sister’s, but she seemed to be providing comfort instead of receiving it.

  “Technically we’re finished.” Ray grimaced. “We’ve identified the type of occulata involved—”

  “—But we won’t leave you in the hands of that asshole,” Ben finished.

  “Our boss has to authorize an extension. Which will be harder if someone goes off half-cocked, and decks the FBI’s representative.” Ray’s level stare at his partner made it clear who he meant. “Orlund is already moving to have us removed.”

  “I’m not leaving until the Director is caught,” Ben promised.

  “A stunning display of masculine posturing.” Ray rolled his eyes. “And I’d love to join you in a heroic stance of defiance, but we need a subtler approach. I promise you can resume your gargoyle-like vigil later.”

  Indecision tore at Ben. What if the Director comes for her, and I’m not here?

  Katie stood, and placed her fingertips delicately on his chest. “Go. Do what you have to do, and come back to me.”

  “One more thing. Razel’s camera.” Ray pulled it out of his pocket.

  “I’ll make sure she gets it.” Katie accepted the handheld unit, and smiled gently. “I’ll be okay. I’ll stay in the suite.”

  “And I’ll be right with her,” Aggi promised.

  “Be careful.” Katie raised up on her tiptoes, and pressed a soft kiss onto Ben’s cheek.

  Ben didn’t remember tearing himself away from her, but he found himself riding the elevator with his partner.

  “All right, partner, start talking.” Ray lifted one eyebrow in invitation.

  “I don’t like leaving her alone while the Director is stalking her.” Even though it had only been a few moments, he felt an urge to rush back.

  Ray’s expression held no hint of amusement. “Since when do you call our unsub the Director?”

  Shit. He’d passed the point where he could make himself walk away. If anything happened to Katie . . . Ben swallowed, a hard lump of grief already chafing his throat.

  “Don’t worry, partner. We’ll keep her safe,” Ray said matter-of-factly. “We need ideas to counteract the spectre.”

  “Fine,” Ben growled.

  Ray pretended to wipe sweat off of his forehead. “Being the voice of reason is exhausting. Let’s call Delacroix. He can give the official permission for you to continue perfecting your ability to brood in a corner.”

  Ben stared at the ceiling, wishing for the supernatural ability to visually pierce the layers between him and Katie. Logic dictated she wasn’t in immediate danger, and yet, his gut demanded that he get back to her as soon as possible.

  ~ ~ ~

  “I see.” Katie pinched the bridge of her nose. At least it’s only a phone call. Listening to Razel’s whining face-to-face would have broken her patience.

  “They had no right to confiscate my camera.” Five minutes of talking and Razel’s third repetition of this particular opinion. “This investigation is a farce. You don’t fit the profile of the Director’s preferred victims.”

  Katie closed her eyes, and mentally counted to ten. Screw it, there isn’t a number high enough to make me accept this politely. “I had respect for you once. Your documentaries on the continuance of the glass ceiling in corporate America, and the ones on the predatory practices of college fraternities were outstanding. They were the reason I reached out to you. However, since your arrival, your focus has been on generating scandal. Your goal is evidently to sensationalize rather than inform. I’m disappointed to discover your journalistic reputation has been so dramatically overstated. Since you have nothing to offer aside from cheap tabloid shock tactics, we have no choice but to terminate your exclusive contract. I’ll leave your camera at the front desk.”

  Hanging up had never been so satisfying.

  “I like this new bad-ass version of you.” Aggi’s sympathetic smile vanished as her phone rang. “It’s Mom. I guess Patrick spoke to her.”

  “You don’t have to talk to her,” Katie said.

  “No, I should. I need to practice standing up to her.” Her sister hesitated.

  If she knows I’m listening, she’ll be harsher. Katie nodded at the ringing phone. “Go ahead. I’ll lock the door and be fine.”

  Aggi squeezed her hand in thanks. After she left, Katie closed the door quickly to prevent her stalker from slipping inside. Once the lock clicked, she should have been relieved, but the skin on the back of her neck was crawling. She grabbed the metal vase, and balanced it on the door handle.

  She poured herself a glass of water, hoping to shake off the paranoia. Is it still paranoia when someone’s really after me? The old joke didn’t hold any humor for her. Razel’s camera sat on the countertop, and she suppressed a childish urge to smash it in retribution.

  Instead she picked it up. If she watched the footage, maybe she could find a cue to let her feel safe again. “How does it even work? How can I look at a person and not see them?”

  “It happens every day,” a soft male voice answered.

  Katie spun around, still holding the camera. Her heart pounded as she scanned the hotel room. The décor was luxurious but anonymous. A low beige couch and sofa in the center of the room, a narrow desk against the wall, a man standing by the doo
r, inoffensive paintings of cityscapes on the walls, and the long sweep of the floor to ceiling windows. Nothing out of place.

  “Maybe I imagined it.”

  “You’re not like the others, Miss Ballard.”

  She wasn’t imagining it. Dizzy from shallow breathing, she backed up against the bar.

  “I would ask your forgiveness, but in a few minutes, you won’t remember this conversation. Look toward the door.” His mild and polite tone frightened her more than if he’d been shouting.

  She met his eyes, the man standing by the door. Tall and skinny, with long, elegant limbs, wearing a pale gray suit. A narrow face with sunken eyes and short light brown hair. He smiled at her.

  “It seems my secret is out of the bag. A shame, for I liked being invisible.” His eyes turned toward the window. “You can see so much more.”

  She kept her eyes locked on him, terrified she would forget if she even blinked. I should scream. Except her throat was too dry to do more than squeak. The creak of plastic in her fist reminded her of the camera. If I don’t record this, I won’t be able to remember it.

  She unobtrusively hit the record button, and casually placed the camera on the bar, the lens pointed at the intruder. Then she picked up her glass of water, and stepped away. “Who are you?”

  His attention returned to her. “Call me Walter. It’s not my name, but I’ve always liked it. And we should be on a first name basis, shouldn’t we, Katie?”

  No didn’t seem to be the smart response. Even if it was accurate.

  His head tilted to the left. “You were calmer the last time we spoke. I suppose you’ve found out about my other projects. Please, don’t place so much faith in the media reports. They only know the smallest portion of my work.”

  She’d never spoken with this man before, or seen him outside of a recording. I must have forgotten. Her eyes burned from the effort of not blinking.

  “You don’t remember me.” It was a statement of fact.

  “No.” She braced for anger.

  Instead, he chuckled to himself. “That’s how I knew you were the one. You’ve always been honest with me, and an artist should be honest. Some of the others weren’t. They pretended to remember me, and I knew they were unworthy of the honor I could bestow.”

  She took a sip of water to loosen her voice. “What did you do to them?”

  “I ensured they would never fool anyone else. They were forgotten, lost in tragic mundanity.” He smiled at her. The expression reminded her of a man from her childhood, one of the studio musicians who’d worked with her mother. He’d been like an indulgent uncle. And now I’ll never think of him again without being creeped out.

  “We are alike, both working behind the scenes while others bask in the spotlight. We’ve both been overlooked. You shouldn’t be afraid of me, no matter what Orlund says.” He pointed at the glass of water in her hands. “You should drink before you pass out. I wouldn’t want to damage your voice when we still have a great deal of work to do.”

  Katie lifted the cool cylinder to her lips, taking a long drink. No matter how frightening he is, I can fight him. “I’m not interested in becoming one of your projects.”

  “The marble resists the sculptor’s chisel, but with persistence, he reveals the masterpiece within.”

  She refused to let him hide behind euphemisms. “I’m not a hunk of rock! I’m a human being, and you’re planning to kill me, and dress up my corpse.”

  He chuckled. “Mr. Orlund didn’t like my vision for Ashley. He coveted her flesh, but I saw her true spirit. She wrapped chains around herself. Mr. Orlund was devastated when he realized what she could have become. I imagine Mr. Morgan will be similarly disappointed when you become my latest vision.”

  His apparent confidence twisted her stomach into nauseous knots. “I won’t be part of your sick fantasy.”

  “The idea of legacy fascinates me. To live forever in people’s memories is something I can never have. Like you, I am always in the shadows of others’ light. It made me focus on the visual. I can see my mistake now, thanks to you.”

  Her eyes kept wanting to skip away to focus on the couches or the window. If I watch him, then he can’t disappear. There must be a way to alert Ben and Ray. “How so?”

  “You told me. You said the most potent memories of your mother didn’t come from her perfume. Recordings of her songs were what evoked her in your mind. That was why my previous efforts failed. I could create the perfect image, but without engaging the other senses, images fade. You will be my magnum opus.” He smiled again, a fanatical gleam in his eyes.

  She’d seen similar expressions on the fans who had lost all sense of proportion and boundaries.

  “I’ve enjoyed our talk, though you will forget it like all the others. Even with the barriers between us, you understand me.” He pulled a large cream envelope out of his pocket, and placed it on the desk. “Here are your instructions. Please remember to lock the door behind me when I leave. It will help you to feel less anxious.”

  She lunged as he opened the door. I have to catch him. Her feet tangled, and she tripped.

  Staring at the carpet on her hands and knees, she struggled to understand what had happened. The glass of water lay on its side, the liquid soaking into the terra-cotta carpet. I must have spilled it. Except she didn’t remember dropping it. I guess I’ve been too preoccupied. From what Ray and Ben had said about spectres, it was critical to be aware of her surroundings.

  Picking up the glass, she grabbed towels to mop up the water. At least the sense of dread had subsided. She dropped the soaked towels into the complimentary laundry basket, and discovered the latest envelope.

  Miss Katie Ballard,

  I am disappointed in you. Why are you attempting to block me from seeing you? Such actions are not worthy of what you and I have together. I expected you to be beyond the sordid jealousies of Special Agent Orlund and Investigator Morgan. They do not see your true self. They are obsessed with the flesh, and cannot fathom your spirit.

  I have searched for so long. I needed to connect with someone who could understand living in my world. Together, we will create a masterpiece to resonate across centuries. You must trust in me. Surrender to my artistic process. If you act out of fear, the work will be flawed, and history will forget you. The choice is yours. Will you blaze like a star, or be lost in the darkness?

  I remain your faithful admirer and servant, Walter.

  Chapter 20

  “Sir, the life of a young woman is at risk,” Ray argued eloquently into his phone. “Ben and I are more knowledgeable about protecting her than an agent running his own agenda.”

  As promised, Ben remained silent, allowing his partner to plead their case to Delacroix. Just agree, and let us go. He’d been away from Katie’s side for too long. His phone buzzed with an incoming text.

  He was here.

  From Katie’s number.

  Ben’s mind locked into soundless denial, but his body took action. Once again, he charged up the stairs to the top floor of the hotel. After the damage to the door last time, the hotel had given him and Ray their own keycards to access the penthouse floor.

  “Hold on, I’m coming.” He jammed the plastic rectangle into the reader, and yanked open the stairwell door.

  Aggi stood in the hall, her own card already in her hand. Her eyes were wide, and she flattened herself against the wall. “What’s going on?”

  “You said you wouldn’t leave.” It wasn’t her fault. He couldn’t expect a civilian to understand the importance. If Katie is hurt . . .

  “I had to take a call from my mother.” Aggi glanced behind him, and her eyes got even wider.

  Ben spun on his heel, pointing his drawn gun.

  Ray’s hands were raised well above his head. He still held his cell phone with Delacroix
presumably listening in.

  No one else. Cursing the wasted seconds, Ben turned back to Katie’s door. He jammed his card into the door, but the access light remained red. He couldn’t hear anything from inside the room and his imagination painted bad to worse scenarios that threatened to stop his heart. The unsub could be in the suite, threatening Katie directly. He could have kidnapped her, leaving through an unknown exit. She could be terrified right now, hoping Ben would rescue her and he couldn’t get through the damn door—

  Aggi opened it and Ben burst past her, searching.

  Katie crouched on the floor. She clutched a mass of wet towel in one hand, and her phone in the other. She pointed with a shaking hand. “It’s there.”

  A familiar large cream envelope rested on the desk, propped against the hotel landline. Katie watched it as if it were a poisonous spider that might crawl away and escape.

  Ben put his body between her and the desk, shielding the latest missive from her view. Ray will take care of the letter. He concentrated on soothing her.

  She buried her face in his chest, her shoulders vibrating. His shirt twisted in her clenched fists. Her breath hitched as she sobbed. “I can’t do this.”

  “It’s all right.” His low, steady tone seemed to soothe her.

  “How can anyone fight something like this? I didn’t even see him. I alarmed the door.” She lifted her tearstained face.

  To his relief, he heard anger under the despair. Thank God. Despite the shock, she wasn’t ready to give up. He smoothed the damp tracks on her cheeks. Seeing her alive, unhurt, and unbroken hit him like a drug, flooding his system with relieved endorphins.

  And it sparked his brain into making connections. “You alarmed the door?”