Deadly Potential

by Jennifer Carole Lewis

  Katie’s heart sank as the phone went dead. “The studio will have to wait.”

  “I’ve heard a lot of blackmail threats over the years. Paying is never a good choice,” Ray said sympathetically.

  “Blackmail? Someone’s blackmailing you now? Why?” Aggi demanded.

  “We need to talk to Patrick.” If Katie could have spared her sister from knowing what her mother was trying to do, she would have. But I don’t have an option.

  On the way back to the hotel, she found the words to tell Aggi about her mother’s threats.

  “I’m sorry, Agatha. This is the drugs, not her. If she was sober, she wouldn’t risk hurting you and your career.”

  Aggi’s lashes were dark with tears. “I can’t believe she filmed it.”

  Katie squeezed her sister’s hand, wishing she could make it all better. Ray silently pulled the car back into the hotel’s parking lot. Ben waited for them at the entrance. Once his hand touched hers, Katie felt better. Which is completely irrational because he can’t help with Bernice.

  Patrick was across town in another meeting, but insisted on a video conference.

  “She’s so desperate . . . do you think someone threatened to hurt her if she doesn’t pay?” Aggi’s gaze swept the room, searching for a plausible excuse.

  “She might be desperate, but she knows what she’s doing.” Katie hated having to crush her sister’s hope.

  “Why couldn’t she tell me the truth? I offered her help.” Aggi wiped her eyes.

  Katie glanced at Ben and Ray, both standing protectively but unobtrusively in the background. Their faces were grim, and she imagined they both were aware of the depths addiction could drive a person to.

  “Agatha, my dear, please listen,” Patrick said. “This is not your fault. If love was the answer, we wouldn’t be speaking because you love your mother. I believe she loves you as well, despite how she is acting now. But if you love her, you cannot give her this money.”

  Aggi drew a ragged breath. “Okay. We won’t pay her.”

  “I know that was a difficult decision. I’m proud of you.” Patrick smiled, his pale teeth flashing in high contrast with his dark skin. “Katie, can I rely on you to block further calls from Bernice?”

  “I’m on it.” Katie bit her lip. “What if she releases the video anyway?”

  “Then we will deal with the consequences, legally and professionally.” Patrick sounded perfectly confident. “This is not your fault, Agatha. Nor is it yours, Katie. Bernice made her choices, and she will live with the results. Katie, has there been progress with the man stalking you?”

  “Nothing we can discuss over a web camera,” Ben answered.

  “Both of you watch over one another. I will talk to you later tonight.” Patrick ended the conference.

  Aggi looks defeated. Shoulders slumped, head hanging low. Katie hadn’t seen her sister in such despair in years. Her eyes crept toward Ben.

  She bit her lip. “Can Aggi and I have some privacy?”

  To her relief, he hesitated, but didn’t question her request, or make her feel guilty. He paused to cup her face, stroking her cheek with his thumb. “Take your time.”

  She pressed a kiss into the heel of his hand. From the way his eyes flashed, the caress had the impact she’d hoped for. She turned back to her sister, ready to for whatever Agatha needed, be it a night drinking and dancing, or ordering an obscene amount of ice cream from room service.

  But Aggi was staring at the blank computer screen. “What’s that?”

  Katie frowned. “What?”

  “That light.” Aggi peered at the computer screen. A tiny red light shone steadily beside the built-in web camera.

  Except the light should only be on if the camera was active. Alarm pricked icy thorns along Katie’s scalp. She had turned it off after the conference, but someone had turned it back on. Like a skilled hacker.

  She slammed the screen shut without turning off the computer.

  Chapter 24

  “I think he’s watching through the web-cam.”

  Ben’s awareness sharpened, taking in the entire room in a split second. Aggi stood by the couch, babbling. Katie sat on the sofa, watching her closed laptop as if it might bite her.

  “Call Lucy,” Ben ordered.

  “On it.” Ray tossed him the phone back. “We have to call Orlund, too. He’s the official investigator.”

  “Do we have to?” Katie asked dully. “I’d rather not deal with him again.”

  Her flat affect worried Ben. He knelt in front of her. “Are you all right?”

  “I’m tired of people asking that. No, I’m not.” Her hands were cold and shaking. “And it’s stupid because this isn’t even the worst thing he’s done to me, and I feel ready to give up. He’s everywhere. I can’t possibly escape.”

  Shit. She’s going into shock. Ben pulled off his leather jacket, and wrapped it around her. Trauma could hit unexpectedly. People did fine up to a certain point before hitting their limit. If I can distract her, and get her thinking about something else, it might help ground her back in reality. Except his mind was completely blank.

  He adjusted the jacket around her shoulders, drawing it closer to buy himself time. The soft leather was worn with dozens of pale scrapes. And one stiff scorched patch. “This was my brother’s jacket. His name was Peter, and he worked with the New York Fire Department.”

  Her eyes still weren’t focusing. She stared straight ahead with a blank glaze. He wrapped his hands around her cold fingers.

  It hurt to talk about Peter. But the blankness in her eyes hurt even more. The words flowed out of his mouth, things he’d never shared. “When we were little, he always played the hero. I got mad at him because I had to be the victim, and he’d rescue me. I wanted to play other games, but he only wanted that one. Then he grew up, and became a real life hero, saving people’s lives. Everyone was so proud of him. I was scared for him.”

  Her hands weren’t shaking any more though they still felt like blocks of ice.

  He continued, telling her the part which kept cutting fresh wounds into his soul. “I was visiting him in New York when Jackson Square happened. We were nearby, and we hurried over to help. I’d never seen anything like it. A huge grizzly bear throwing another guy around. Except the other guy could jump twenty, thirty feet in the air, and pick up concrete blocks with his bare hands. Peter and I started getting the gawkers out. A few minutes later, there was the explosion.”

  He could still taste the gray dust on his tongue. Hear the crack of the glass windowfronts shattering into sharp-edged pellets. His eyes stung from the swirling clouds of smoke blinding them. He was the one lost in memories now. “We were lucky, we’d been inside one of the buildings, directing people to use the subway entrance in the basement instead of the street.”

  They’d heard cries from people trapped in a partially collapsed building. Peter threw his jacket at Ben, and told him to wait outside.

  “I shouted at him to stop to give us time to brace the entrance. He didn’t listen. A few seconds later, the rest of the building came down on top of him. I could have stopped him. Even if I’d have delayed him, it would have saved his life. But I didn’t. I knew he was reckless, and I didn’t stop him.”

  Peter’s body had been lost in the rubble. Only the jacket remained. Ben wore it every day as a reminder to be the kind of hero that his brother would have wanted him to be. And to make sure no other family got caught up in occulata squabbling.

  “It’s not your fault.” Katie’s quiet declaration sliced through the memory.

  Her eyes met his without any sign of haunted fear. Her hands gripped his, the fingers warm. He searched her expression for signs of condemnation or pity, but there was only sympathy and kindness.

  Abruptly, he recalled they
weren’t alone. Aggi and Ray were off to the side, both of them holding very still.

  “I’m sorry about your brother. That sucks,” Aggi offered.

  Ray wisely didn’t say anything about the confession. “Orlund is on his way. Lucy wants to wait until he’s here to keep him from claiming we’re hiding evidence.”

  Ben eyed the phone in Ray’s hand. Lucy had certainly heard everything. She’d offered to talk to him about his brother, and he’d always refused.

  He regretted hurting her feelings, and wished he had time to make it better. “What does she want us to do?”

  “Do you have a connector cable for this phone and the laptop?” Lucy’s tinny voice came through the phone’s speakers.

  “I do.” Aggi volunteered. She seemed eager for an excuse to both leave the tension and be helpful.

  She returned a moment later, accompanied by Orlund.

  “If this is a teenage hacker, I’m not going to be happy about being dragged away,” he grumbled.

  “I, for one, would be much happier to discover this intrusion is curious idiots instead of a malicious killer,” Katie shot back.

  “Let’s hold the speculation,” Lucy instructed through the phone. “Ray, hook me up.”

  “You only ever had to ask, my darling.” Ray plugged the cable into both the phone and the computer.

  “Got the connection.” A flurry of keyboard clicks. “Oh yeah, definite remote-access of the web-cam and microphone. And they’re good. This is custom code, not some kit from a hack-site.”

  “Oh my God,” Aggi whispered.

  Katie didn’t make a sound.

  Ray carefully opened the laptop, and the screen sprang back to life. Lucy reeled off technobabble as if she expected the people on this end of the phone to understand it. Ray nodded once or twice, but Ben suspected it was more for solidarity than comprehension.

  “Okay. Good news, there’s no one watching you now. Bad news, this guy has backdoors and digital fingerprints everywhere. It looks like he’s gained access to every part of your life through this computer, from social media to banking records. It’s going to need a complete security scrub.”

  Katie leaned in. “Lucy, what about backups?”

  “He’s been in the system too long,” Lucy replied through the speakerphone. “At least two months.”

  “But the letters only started a week ago.” Katie’s voice faltered.

  He’s been stalking you. We told you that. Ben kept his mouth sealed, and his teeth locked together to keep himself from yelling at Katie. Talking about Peter had unsettled him. Keep it together.

  “I’m afraid so. It’s a total loss.” Lucy managed to sound both optimistic and sympathetic. “I’ll salvage what I can.”

  “Thank you. There’s a lot of business information on it.” Katie’s knee jiggled restlessly despite her calm voice.

  “Oh hey, there’s your tour contract. Do you have an M&M clause?” Lucy asked.

  Does everyone know about Van Halen and the M&Ms? Ben rubbed at the back of his head.

  “Is this relevant to the investigation?” Orlund grunted.

  “I’m multi-tasking,” Lucy’s cheerful reply caused her listeners to hide smiles behind their hands. “Leave the computer powered up, and I’ll finish up without interrupting.”

  “This computer is evidence in an FBI investigation.” Orlund reached for it.

  Ray intercepted him. “When our analyst finishes, I’m sure she can give you a copy of whatever you need.”

  “The FBI has lead on this case.” Orlund glared at them. “Special Investigations—”

  “Is doing your damn job for you,” Ben growled.

  “Enough!” Aggi shouted, jumping off of the sofa. “If you two want to have a testosterone battle, take it outside.”

  Katie stayed on the sofa, her fingers curled into the edges of the jacket still resting on her shoulders.

  Orlund didn’t notice, or didn’t care. “You’re wasting time to impress the girl, and play the hero.”

  Ben’s hands tightened into fists.

  Ray shook his head. “Bad choice of words, Special Agent.”

  “Don’t patronize me. You’re a useless joke. Mucking around with tin can alarms when the hotel has a multi-million dollar security system?”

  Unlike with Katie, Ben had no reason to hold his frayed temper for the FBI agent. His legendary glare had withered far more belligerent opponents. He used the calm, understated voice that his co-workers dreaded. “If I suspected a glimmer of intelligence behind your pathetic grandstanding, I would be happy to explain how most occulata powers are enhancements of natural phenomena. Or I could explain how an unsub like the Director can walk past trained and alert agents. He can hack alarms, but not avoid a rudimentary physical alert.”

  “There’s the quiet menace again,” Ray commented to the room in general. “It’s more effective in person than over the radio.”

  Orlund glared at them, but Ben wasn’t finished.

  “There is no point in explaining.” Ben’s tone cut deep despite its apparent mildness. “You resent us, and are afraid that we will reveal your obsession. So you try to keep us off balance with antagonism.”

  “You’re nothing except the trend-of-the-day, a gimmick to make the public feel safer.” Orlund wasn’t backing down.

  “Guys . . .” Lucy’s hesitant warning from the still active speakerphone wasn’t nearly enough to halt the battle of wills.

  “We are the only people who know how to deal with an occulata’s powers.” Ben stepped closer, looming over the FBI agent. “You want to play rogue cop? Fine. Do it on your own time, and without putting us in danger with your bullshit.”

  Unfortunately, Orlund seemed to have completely lost control. “The two of you have been screwing around since you landed. You’re supposed to be a hotshot profiler, but all you’ve done is be a judgmental asshole. If you thought with your brain instead of your dick, this case would be over.”

  That’s it. Ben grabbed Orlund’s suit jacket, lifting the agent’s feet off the floor. He ignored Ray scrabbling attempts to stop him.

  “Please. Stop.” Katie’s quiet plea brought him back to his senses.

  Ben released Orlund immediately. Physically throwing the FBI agent out might be emotionally satisfying, but it wouldn’t help with what was truly important.

  Orlund smoothed his rumpled jacket. “She must be damn good in bed. Maybe I’ll have to try—”

  Ben lunged at the agent. Ray tried to grab him, but his hand grasped Ben’s shirt just as Ben’s fist landed squarely on Orlund’s face.

  Miss Katie Ballard,

  You deserve so much better than these petty bullies and their drama. It is gravely disappointing to require trusting your safety to men such as Special Agent Orlund, and Investigators Morgan and Corwin. They are not worthy of you. Once we are together, I will take you to a place where such nightmares will never touch you again.

  I am humbled and astonished to discover the recording you made of our last conversation. Your efforts to remember what we spoke of are remarkable. I had begun to despair, fearing you would be yet another failure. After your tawdry purchases this morning, I was ready to despair, but you have proven yourself. You are truly the one I have hoped for.

  I understand your continued reluctance now. You have not seen my efforts to aid you in achieving your potential. I can offer more than costumes and trinkets. Do not worry about your stepmother and her threats. I will make certain she cannot carry them out. She is meaningless noise, and we must concentrate on the grand artistic vision.

  Investigator Morgan believes I am jealous though nothing is further from the truth. What the two of us have is a connection of souls, far beyond the momentary satisfaction of physical coupling. We are meant to be together, you and I, a
nd soon no one will ever separate us again.

  I remain your faithful admirer and servant, Walter.

  Chapter 25

  “Guys!” Lucy’s shout through the telephone interrupted the tense stand-off.

  Blood trickled over the FBI agent’s lips. Katie’s stunned mind refused to process events. Everything seemed staged and surreal, like a scene for a music video.

  “This isn’t a good time, Lucy,” Ben growled.

  He really did it. He punched Orlund. One flare of shattered temper which changed everything. Shards of anger chipped away at Katie’s cocoon of despair.

  “No shit. Your unsub reached out,” Lucy snapped. “Check out the computer.”

  Involuntarily, her eyes flicked toward the screen. Proving myself? What the heck does he mean? He’d obviously found out about their visit to the sex shop, but didn’t seem particularly disturbed by it. He’d scolded her like a rebellious teenager who wanted to dye her hair. The thought steadied her. He might see her as an object, but she wasn’t restricted to that role. And yet, the evidence of yet another blow to her privacy unsteadied her.

  “Put down the phone, Orlund. You were behaving like an ass.” Ray’s voice cut across her awareness.

  “What does he mean about taking care of my mother?” Aggi demanded.

  A warm hand touched her face. “Breathe, Katie. Forget everything else, just breathe.”

  Ben’s voice soothed her. Maybe it was a hypocritical reaction, since she was furious with him for losing his temper and jeopardizing everything.

  “It’s all okay.” His lips brushed her hair. “Ray, take the computer away.”

  “Certainly.” Ray’s reply dripped sarcasm. “It’s all yours, Special Agent Orlund. Now please, do us all a favor. Leave without saying something unpleasant.”

  “I’ll have your badges.” The rest of Orlund’s shout was cut off by a loud click as the door closed.