Chapter 24
Chapter Twenty-Four
Okay, it was taking a hell of a lot longer than I had anticipated, and the boys were long gone. No big surprise there. They had taken off separately. Michael had been the last to leave, but eventually he did. Over the last weeks, he had told me about his time as an Army Ranger and I realized just how active he really was. No wonder he was a firefighter.
The fact that his biological father was on the run was driving him insane. And he was wrecked that Sid had tried to kill me twice. I pointed out that it could have been anyone who could have gone into the shed that day—including him. It was just the luck of the draw it was me, but it didn’t seem to matter to him.
Simon had found a lead that Sid might be in Nashville, but Michael was thinking he would stay closer to Jasper Creek, so he was focusing on Pigeon Forge. Michael was using his fireman buddies network to see where someone might hide out in Pigeon Forge, and the consensus was some homeless shelters, so that’s where Michael went to look.
That left me here with the alarm system and Harley.
I was getting close to reconstructing the system. There was one file I was teasing out. But I needed a snack. A big snack. I threw a microwave pizza into the oven and scored when I found a roll of cookie dough in Michael’s refrigerator. I had hit a hacker food extravaganza.
My shoulders were killing me, and I felt a tension headache coming on, so I needed a break. While I was waiting for the pizza to cook, I took a third of the cookie dough and put it into a bowl, took it to the couch, and called Maddie.
“I was wondering when you would remember me,” Maddie teased. “There you are, going out to lunch with my sister, and ignoring me.”
“Whaaa, whaaa. I want you to know I am going to buy and play the world’s smallest violin to go along with your whining.”
Maddie laughed.
“What’s been going on?”
“Not much,” I lied. I didn’t want to rehash everything. I needed to take my mind off my life. “Tell me about you. Have you spent any time with Beau?”
“Uhhhh….”
“Oh, that sounds promising,” I crowed.
“No. I mean yes.” She paused. “I mean no. Aw, shit. I don’t know what I mean,” she wailed. “It’s all so complicated.”
“How’s he doing? It must be tough coming back after all this time and being confronted with a brother that he thought was lost to him.”
“That’s part of the complication. Seriously, Fallon. I don’t know how to help him, and he doesn’t want my help. He only seems to want one thing.”
“Ahh. I see.”
“Yeah.” Maddie sighed.
“How do you feel about that?” I asked.
“I want to rip his clothes off with my teeth, then lick him up like caramel pudding.”
I giggled and took a spoonful of cookie dough.
“He’s living less than a mile from my place, and he drops by unannounced.”
“The horror,” I laughed.
“What are you eating?”
“Cookie dough.”
“Oh. I’ve been doing that, too.”
“Yeah, but I bet you don’t gain any weight.” I looked down at my boobs and knew that if I kept up the stress eating, I would go up another cup size and possibly another jean size. I needed to get things under control. Not that Michael seemed to mind.
“Are you with me?”
“Kind of.”
“Tell me about you and Michael,” Maddie practically begged. “I can’t handle talking about Beau anymore.”
I took in a deep breath. “I was right. He didn’t sleep with Lindsay that night. It was a set-up.”
“That fucking asshole!” Maddie yelled through the phone.
“Yeah. But I’m sleeping with him anyway.”
“Girlfriend…” Maddie admonished.
“The good news is, my girlie parts are in great working order.”
Maddie sighed. “I want to know if my girly parts are in good working order.”
“So, sleep with Beau.”
“I’m considering it. Trust me, I’m considering it.”
I heard the oven timer buzz. “Honey, the pizza is done. I’ve got to go. I have a project I’m working on. It’s got a harsh deadline.”
“Okay, call me as soon as you can. I need another tequila night.”
“You’ve got it.”
After I hung up, I took another spoonful of dough, then went to the kitchen and took out the pizza. After having two pieces and two large glasses of water with a couple ibuprofen, my headache was a thing of the past, so I got back in front of the computer. It took me another hour to figure out what was in the file, and when I did, my blood ran cold.
Because what I had found was a nightmare.
Ace Security’s codes. Michael’s parents’ house. Michael’s house. My parents’ house. The addresses, the access logs. Sid could walk in like he owned the place. He could already be inside.
My stomach flipped.
I grabbed my phone and hit Michael’s number, my pulse pounding in my ears.
“Fallon?”
“Michael—he has the codes.” My voice came out breathless, a whisper of sheer dread. “That’s what I found on the computer. A file with all of Ace Security Systems’ access codes and addresses. To every customer. He can get in anywhere.”
Silence.
Then, Michael cursed so violently I flinched.
“I’m an hour away,” he growled. “Lock everything down. Do not open the door. Do not go near any windows. I’m coming.”
I was already moving, racing down the hall toward the gun safe Michael had insisted I learn how to use. Harley was up from her spot on the couch, like she knew things were bad. I was in the guest room checking the windows, when I heard it.
The front door opened.
My heart stopped. My body froze.
The alarm didn’t go off.
Oh, God.
Harley growled, a deep, guttural warning, her hackles raised.
I had my new cell phone in one hand and Michael’s gun in the other. I was going to drop one of them at any moment because my hands were so slippery with sweat.
Michael was still on the phone.
“Fallon? Why is Harley growling?”
“Someone’s in the house. Be quiet, Michael.”
I was by the window next to the bed. I slid down, hiding myself behind the bed. At the last second, I stuffed the phone behind the pillow where it couldn’t be seen, but Michael could still hear everything.
Including Sid yelling as he searched for me.
“Where are you? The pizza is still hot, I know you’re here. I know it’s you, Fallon. I recognize your fancy car.”
I heard him go room to room, calling my name. He finally reached the bedroom. Harley growled, giving away my hiding place. When Sid came around the bed, I pointed directly at him.
He laughed at me. “You’re not going to shoot.”
I shot.
The loud sound had me closing my eyes, and the recoil pushed me sideways into the wall. The gun slipped out of my hand. When I opened my eyes I saw Sid standing over me, laughing.
“You’re a lousy shot.”
I took my first good look at him.
Tall. Broad. A cruel mouth twisted in a grin beneath a salt-and-pepper beard. His eyes—Michael’s eyes. Only colder. Dead inside.
Sid Martin.
“Harley, no!” I shouted as she lunged for Sid. Sid kicked out and Harley went down.
I went to pick up the gun, but Sid was too fast. He scooped it up and pointed it at me.
I swallowed hard. “Are you going to kill me now?”
“Nope. I want to live stream that shit. Leaving him a body is too easy.”
The cookie dough I’d just eaten lurched back up my throat, and I barely swallowed it down before it could make a return trip.
“But not just you. His fake mama, too.”
My stomach dropped.
“She’s in the car. So get your ass up. You’re coming with me. If you don’t come easily, I’ll do more than just kill his mama. She’s a pretty thing for someone so old.”
Nausea threatened to overwhelm me. “Where are you taking us?”
“Somewhere with an internet connection,” he laughed. “Somewhere private.” He gestured with the gun. “Now get up, and let’s go.”
He grabbed my arm and yanked me up. I let out a squeak of pain as he jerked my injured shoulder. I was forced to step over poor Harley, who was whimpering in pain.
“Tell me where we’re going. Should I take a jacket?”
“Shut the fuck up. You’re going to be dead soon. It won’t matter that you’re going to be cold.”
There you go Michael. A clue .