The Red-Hot Stakes

Chapter Nineteen

Wyatt had already begun calling people when I tromped upstairs. I turned the corner, stopping abruptly and almost vomiting when I saw the office. Quickly, I plastered myself back against the stairway, unable to process what I’d seen.

A dead animal had been gutted on Liam’s desk, its innards strewn all over his computer and phone and papers. The whole desk was covered in red gore.

Taking a deep breath, I steeled myself for another look now that I was mentally prepared. I eased around the corner, keeping my eyes off the desk. Nothing else in the office seemed disturbed except for the filing cabinet which was left wide open. I hurried over, watching where I stepped.

It was the drawer with the personnel files, which was usually locked. The metal had been pried open, similar to the shed, and my stomach clenched. I quickly scanned through all the names, but it didn’t appear as if anyone was missing.

Whatever they had been looking for, they either hadn’t found it or had taken pictures and left.

I started to leave, but my gaze caught on the corner of Liam’s desk. While the rest of his frames and photos were knocked down or askew, one stood perfectly upright and pristine. I crept closer. It was the picture of Liam and his sisters, carefully facing away from the gore.

And Liam’s face had been blacked out.

Back downstairs, my annoyance at being so caught off-guard combined with my frustration and helplessness in the face of the situation. I strode right up to the policeman. “Officer Harper!”

His head shot up, and his face fell. “You went upstairs, didn’t you?”

“Why the hell didn’t you warn me?”

“I was going to, when I finished here.” His face softened. “I’m truly sorry. That must have been a shock.” He went back to his radio.

Wyatt came over as I sagged against the building. “What happened?”

I couldn’t get the picture out of my head as I told him the gruesome details. I needed to call Liam. This is obviously personal. The business phone rang inside, and I hurried to answer it, grabbing a paper towel to wrap around the receiver, just in case.

“High Five, this is Gina.”

A low chuckle came over the line. “Hello, Gina. How’d you like my present?”

I gasped. “You!” The open door wasn’t far and I wondered if I yelled, if Officer Harper would hear me.

“Now, now, Gina. Make sure you keep our little conversations to yourself. You don’t want any of your friends ending up like that poor rabbit, do you? I bet Avery would squeal just as loud.”

My heart thudded in my chest. “You wouldn’t.”

“Don’t try me.” His threat hung between us. “Now, are you ready to play my game? Or do you need more persuasion?”

I gripped the receiver so tight my knuckles turned white. “I’m not breaking up with Liam.”

“I see.” He paused again. “I’ll give you a few more days to think that over and make sure it’s your final decision. Keep in mind, the longer you wait, the higher the stakes. This time it was just a rabbit. Who will be next?” And he hung up.

My hand shook as I put the phone back on the wall. What the fresh hell have I gotten myself into this time? I sucked in several deep breaths until my heart slowed to a normal pace once more.

The blank screen of the phone caught my eye, and I snatched up the receiver once more, punching the button for previous incoming calls. The last one had no name attached. Of course, it couldn’t have been that easy. I dialed it, holding my breath.

“The number you are trying to reach has been disconnected or is no longer in service.”

The robotic voice had my shoulders sagging. This guy was covering his tracks at every turn, and my frustration grew. I flipped through the prior numbers, going back to the day of the last threat. I found a different number with no name associated with it at the right time, then called it. Only to receive the same message.

I stared at the back door for a long moment, more than tempted to march out there and tell the officer everything. But the blackmailer’s threat played once more in my head. I couldn’t risk Avery, not when I wasn’t sure just how serious this guy was. Resigned, I called my boyfriend. He needed to know about the present.

And that was all I told him.

* * * *

It was hard keeping a secret from Liam. We were both stressed from the added work of cleaning the bar, throwing everything out, restocking. Again. And I had classes on top of it.

I’d talked to Liam about the photo on the desk, asked him once more if Brad was truly out of the country. Liam spoke to the officer assigned to the case who assured him they had actual footage of Brad leaving as well as his ticket and passport being scanned. But I couldn’t shake the feeling we were missing something.

We opened as usual on Wednesday, advertising karaoke and chili, our old standby. The chili was particularly popular since November was here and brought its cold snap with it.

Anytime the phone rang, I tensed. An hour in, Sarah held out the phone to me, and I took it to a fairly quiet corner, whispering my hello.

“Ready to reconsider, Gina?”

My voice shook as I asked, “Why would I do that?”

“I told you, the longer you wait, the higher the stakes. And this time, for this bet, we’ll make sure to raise the bar. I have some Red-hot stakes in mind.”

Shivers ran down my spine at the emphasis on my nickname. “What sort of game is this?” Tension coiled in my gut, and I hated the fear building inside me.

A raspy chuckle filled the line. “This is no game, Gina. This ends when you break up with Liam, and the longer you take, the more he suffers. I win either way, remember that. I’m sure with your sharp tongue and fiery temper, you can find some way to manage it. The bar closes at two a.m., right? I’m feeling generous, so I’ll give you until two-thirty.”

Then the dial tone sounded in my ear.

I hung up, feeling unsettled and pissed off. No one told me how to run my life, let alone tried to make me give up the best thing in it. If I ever get my hands on that creep—

“Gina!” Sarah called, bringing me back to earth.

We’d sent everyone home but us and Wendy, one of the new girls. I shoved my emotions aside, plastered on a smile and focused on doing my job. I went home at midnight, leaving them to close.

At four a.m. Thursday morning, Liam’s phone went off, pulling me from a dead sleep. He fumbled around, finally answering it. Then he shot straight out of bed, hurrying to pull on some pants. “I’ll be right there.” He flipped on the light.

I groaned. “What’s going on?”

“The High Five is on fire.”

“What?” I was suddenly wide awake. I hopped out of bed, scrambling for clothes. He opened his mouth, but I cut him off. “If you even try to tell me to stay here, you’ll regret it.”

His jaw snapped shut, and one corner of his mouth tipped up as he finished getting dressed. I gripped his arm the whole way there. An orange haze rose from the direction of the bar, and the sinking in my gut grew the closer we came.

We squealed to a stop in front of the caution tape, where the police officers had shut down the whole block. Liam told them who we were, and we rushed around the corner to see the building devoured in flames. I’d been there mere hours before.

My knees buckled. Liam caught me, though he too stared at the blazing inferno in shock and horror.

An office came over. “Mr. Davenport, you’re the owner?” At Liam’s nod, he continued, “We’d like to ask you a few questions.”

After helping me to a nearby bench, Liam willingly went with the officer. I heard the word arson as they walked away. My cell phone rang. Goosebumps appeared on my arms at the unknown number on my screen. Fear clenched my gut, but I knew I needed to answer.

“Hello?”

“Admiring my handiwork?” the now familiar voice said, pride dripping from his words.

Anger surged through me. He had no right to toy with us like this. “Listen here you little creep—”

“Ah, ah, ah, Gina. I did warn you, if you’ll remember. I even gave you several clues. And since I seem to have your attention now, perhaps you’re more inclined to listen.” His tone grew icy, malicious. “If you don’t, more people will end up like Wendy.”

I sat up straighter. The trickle of fear turned into a stream, dousing my anger. “What happened to Wendy?”

“Wrong place, wrong time.”

And I knew Wendy was dead. A chill ran through me at his nonchalant delivery of that news, as if taking a life meant nothing to him.

“The longer you wait, the higher the stakes. Who’s next, Gina?”

The back of my neck prickled, and I wondered if he was nearby, watching the fire, watching my reaction. I tried to keep my voice from shaking but my fingers trembled as I clutched my phone. “What do you want?”

He laughed, an empty, hollow sound. “I want Liam to suffer like I have. He took everything from me, so I’m just returning the favor.”

“Liam wouldn’t do that.”

“Well, he did,” he snarled. “And he will pay. He’s already started to—now it’s up to you how long this continues.” His tone turned taunting. “So, Gina, should I call the police, let them know where they can find the gas can that started the fire? The one that has Liam’s fingerprints all over it? Or the pair of his shoes that were worn when I poured gas all around?”

I gasped. “You stole them from his truck!” To frame Liam.

“Very good. You’re finally catching on.” He chuckled again. “So what do you say? Arson should be reported, shouldn’t it? And if they find out about the weakened structure of the basement that would have taken thousands of dollars to fix, well…” He paused, letting the words sink in. “Sounds like a decent motive to me.”

I couldn’t answer, could hardly think with all the pressure building inside of me. My chest tightened, my stomach was in knots. This is it. This is the other shoe that’s been dangling over my head all this time.

My coworker was dead. This man was actively trying to ruin Liam and had already threatened my best friend. I stared at the flames, overwhelmed with the gravity of the choice I faced.

“Tell you what, I’ll give you until tomorrow morning to decide. I’ll say…eleven. Expect my call.” The snarl returned. “And remember, this stays between us. Don’t forget what I’m capable of.” Then he hung up.

The blazing fire lit the night sky, consuming every last bit of hope and happiness inside me. Until there was nothing left but bitterness and resignation.

Liam finally returned. “Wendy’s dead.” His voice cracked as he said it. “She must have fallen and hit her head…or the arsonist attacked her.”

I wrapped my arms around him, feeling just as broken as he looked.

“There’s nothing more we can do here. Ready to go home?”

The word home pierced my already wounded heart, and I could only nod. It was yet another thing that would shortly be ripped away if I gave into the madman’s demands.

At the apartment, we hopped in the shower to rid ourselves of the permeating smell of smoke. We washed each other, making love against the shower wall and again in the bedroom, both of us hurting, both of us desperate. Liam fell asleep almost instantly after we finished.

I just lay there, staring at the ceiling as my mind ran through my limited options.

If I stayed with Liam—the love of my life, my safe place, the person I could count on to catch me no matter what—I’d condemn him to a life of suffering, perhaps even death. The arsonist had enough evidence for Liam to be thrown into jail.

But I could prevent that—by ripping out my heart and breaking up with Liam. Tears burned against my eyes as the ominous weight of what I had to do dangled precariously over me.

Finally, I could stand it no more. Throwing on some clothes and shoes, I wandered outside as the sun rose higher in the sky. I found myself outside Eat at Joe’s and went in despite not being hungry.

Sally greeted me by name, peering behind me for Liam, but I shook my head. Our usual booth was open, so I slid in out of habit. I wouldn’t be able to come here for quite some time if I gave in to the blackmailer’s demands.

“What can I get you, sugar?” Sally asked.

“I don’t know. Surprise me.”

She frowned but took the menu and bustled away.

While I waited for my food, I revisited my options. If I told Liam or the police about the phone calls, someone would get hurt. Most likely Avery—if the arsonist’s threats were any indication, and he’d killed Wendy, so I had no reason not to believe him. If I didn’t break up with Liam, he could go to jail for arson.

What will happen if I don’t break up with him, even after he goes to jail? What will the madman come up with next?

It wasn’t fair. I was finally happy and could see myself spending the rest of my life with Liam. I sighed. The circumstances piled up as evidence of my curse. This wouldn’t happen to anyone else.

Ultimately, I had the power to keep Liam out of jail and spare him from further suffering. How could I say no to that? What lengths wouldn’t I go to if I knew I could protect him?I’d rather he be broken-hearted and free than in love and locked away for a crime he didn’t commit.

Sally plopped a plate of food in front of me, as well as an overflowing vanilla shake. “You look like you could use one.” Then she surprised me further by sitting down. “What’s going on, Gina?”

There was no cherry on top this time, and one corner of my mouth tugged upward that she remembered. I pulled the shake closer to take a cold, refreshing sip. “My life is fucked up, Sally. I’m cursed, and now it’s affecting Liam.”

She frowned.

“He’s really going to need you after tomorrow. I don’t want to do it, but I don’t have a choice.” My voice cracked on the last word, and a tear slipped down my cheek. “I have to break up with him.”

“Oh, sugar, there’s always a choice.” She handed me a napkin.

I shook my head. “Well, the alternative is worse, if you can believe that. I just don’t know what I’m going to do when all my friends hate me.” The devastating future played out before me—friendless, jobless, homeless. “I won’t have anywhere to go.” I laid my head on the table, unable to hold it up as panic pressed in.

Sally was there in an instant. She rubbed my back as I worked on taking deep breaths. “I don’t know what you’re going through, but I have a room I rent out. It’s not much, but it’s empty at the moment.” She described the area she lived in, then named a fairly cheap price.

I lifted my chin, astonishment coursing through me. “Really? Even though you know what I’m going to do to Liam?”

“I can tell you’re not doing this lightly, and it’s eating you up just thinking about it. Yes, the room is yours if you want it.” She hesitated. “But maybe we shouldn’t tell Liam.”

That would probably be for the best. I nodded, and we exchanged information.

“I’ll be home tomorrow after three.”

My deadline echoed through me, and I knew I’d be out of the apartment by then. “I’ll text when I’m on my way. Thanks again.”

I felt more hollow with each step toward home. I wished for the numbing ice that had coated me after Josh, wishing as desperately as a person adrift in the ocean searched for dry land. But it never came.

The apartment was empty when I got back. A note from Liam said he’d gone to the police station to answer more questions and wasn’t sure when he’d be home. Which suited me fine.

I sat on the couch, staring at the wall, as I ran through my options again and again, hoping a new opportunity would present itself. But it never did. It was late when I crawled into bed by myself. Not long after, Liam crept in, trying to be quiet, so he didn’t wake me. I didn’t trust myself to speak.

As soon as the bed dipped with his weight, I reached for him, pulling him on top of me. He let out a surprised gasp, but didn’t protest when I tugged his mouth to mine.

Desire flared between us, our movements frantic, fierce and full of passion as we clung to each other. I put my heart and soul into every miniscule motion, hoping he could sense it. Hoping when he replayed these moments someday, maybe he would hear what I couldn’t say.

Afterward, he murmured, “Goodnight, Gina. I love you.”

I curled into his chest, but I couldn’t form the words.

* * * *

Liam left first thing the next morning. The loss of his business, of my work, was heavy enough, but the death of Wendy weighed on me even more. I couldn’t mourn though. I had to take advantage of Liam’s absence and pack.

I was ready when my phone rang at eleven. “Hello?”

“Good morning, Gina. Do you have your answer?”

“If I do break up with him, what happens to the evidence?”

“Clever girl.” He chuckled. “If you break up with him by five p.m. today, I’ll send you the coordinates of the evidence so you can do whatever you want with it. Do we have a deal?”

I was out of time and options, but I still thought through everything, once more.

“And don’t forget, this stays between us.”

It was an effort to keep my voice from cracking as I answered, “We have a deal.”

“Pleasure doing business with you.”