Chapter 17 #3
I placed the briefcase on the floor as required, rubbing my hands together and glaring at the camera positioned on the table.
We were forced to wait for almost fifteen minutes before we heard a jangle of keys outside the door. My nerves were now completely frayed, but I did my best to keep any sense of emotions off my face.
When the guard walked in, I backed against the wall, using it for support.
The experts said that time changed everything. Heartache. Memories. Perceptions.
What it didn’t change for me were the stark feelings that I’d had since Max had licked my face. It wasn’t quite fear or even relief, but a strange combination of anger, remorse, embarrassment, and hatred.
The loathing was the strongest today. And why? Not only because of what the bastard had done to my life thirteen years before, but the control he’d had over me since that day.
Samuel had his head down, shuffling as he was being led toward the table.
“Sit, you animal,” the guard said. While the words were strong, the tone full of repulsion, the guard was doing nothing more than providing us with a show. What in the fuck was going on?
Without Samuel looking me in the eyes, I could tell a lot about his treatment. He hadn’t been abused and had certainly been fed well. He was even wearing a necklace.
A cross.
What the hell?
Even with his head lowered, I could tell he was smiling, the look strange, almost as if I was seeing a comic book drifting into real life.
I braced myself as he lifted his head. What struck me first was that he studied Maverick as his first order of business, dropping his gaze ever so slowly before switching his concentration toward me.
There was no look of surprise, no sense of recognition.
The second strike was based on his reaction.
I was floored, enough that the initial shock of seeing him wasn’t as horrible as I’d expected.
With a slight cock of his head, I could swear I noticed his wheels churning, processing where he’d seen me before.
He was excited to see me.
Swaying slightly, I gripped the edge of the table to remain standing. As I stared into his eyes, I was drawn back to the first time I’d seen him in the bookstore.
“Do you dream in color?”
The question startled me and I was certain Samuel had asked it out loud. Every creepy-crawly in the world skittered across my arms and legs, warmth rising in my chest. Maverick noticed, inching closer without making my discomfort too obvious to anyone.
I waved him off, carefully rubbing sweat from my brow while concentrating on my breathing. I refused to allow the bastard to get the better of me. I glanced at Maverick, shaking my head.
Samuel wasn’t paying any real attention to my presence nor had the question been directed toward me. He was currently being dragged into the seat, placing his fists on the table so his wrists could be shackled. His ankles already were.
“Fifteen minutes,” the guard said before walking out. “Don’t get too close to him.”
I had no intention of doing so.
He shifted in his seat, clanging the handcuffs against the metal bar. Like a kid would do when placed in a highchair. I was taken aback by my thoughts, reminding myself that killers were magnificent manipulators.
Maverick was leaning against the wall, his foot propped up casually. He was used to playing a role as agent whereas I was used to comforting clients in the courtroom. This was completely out of my comfort zone.
“Samuel Wells,” Maverick said to him. “We have a few questions for you.”
“And you are?” He lifted his head and I was caught in the moment, a strange and twisted frenzy of emotions. Staring into his blue eyes.
His face was right there, only the one grinning like some loon was from before. He was leering at me just before he raked his hand down my face. “When I return, it’s our time, baby girl. Finally. Just you and me. You’re the prize I’ve been waiting for. Are you eager for my touch?”
Oh, my God.
Adequate words to describe the way I felt weren’t in the English language. I felt outside my body while tingling sensations swept through me like a tidal wave. All sound ceased. All thoughts stopped in their tracks.
Every terror-filled dream.
Every rage-tinged tantrum.
Every roar of survivor’s guilt.
They all hit at once, leaving me breathless and angry, uncertain yet determined.
And every thought of sparing his life for whatever reason was tossed aside. I’d questioned whether or not if I’d had the chance to kill him if I would have bypassed my beliefs. The answer was an easy hell, yes. Given a single chance, I’d drive a stake through his obsidian heart.
Over and over again.
Maverick cautioned me with his eyes, supportive yet reminding me without words I’d insisted on being a part of unveiling the charade. If that’s what Samuel was involved with. A quick reminder that I’d only received a single threat slithered into my mind.
While Samuel was older, his close-cropped mousy brown hair little more than stubble, the same arrogant attitude was carved into his expression.
As if the world was his playground.
In those few seconds, a light switch had been flipped inside the man. I could almost feel it. He went from a guy who had no clue what he was doing in the room to the master of game playing.
The worst thing about the asshole sitting in the chair was his expression. The same knowing smile. Happy and lighthearted. He’d had full control over the women he’d kidnapped as well as his desires. Until he hadn’t. Until the end when the twisted lust had caused him to make mistakes.
The only reason I’d remained alive.
I forced myself to look away, echoes of Lily’s scream taking time to fade. I refused to have my control stripped away by anyone.
Especially by a monster. Or was he? I was still conflicted, uncertain we were doing the right thing.
“You don’t remember me?” Maverick interjected.
Samuel narrowed his eyes as he sat forward as much as the shackles would allow, obviously processing various memories as I’d been forced to do over the years.
When the light was reflected from recognizing the FBI agent who’d caught him after almost a year on the run, I was surprised to see admiration but also something else.
A deep emotion wrapped around a collection of thoughts I couldn’t quite put my finger on. The familiarity wasn’t what I’d expected.
“You’re that cop who chased me down in the swamp. But you didn’t catch me there. You almost did.”
Maverick walked closer, yanking out the chair opposite Samuel. With his foot on the edge, he rested his forearm on his bent knee and leaned over. “Yeah, that’s right. The man who stopped your killing spree. I’m curious, Samuel. What else do you remember?”
Breathe and watch. That’s why you’re here. You need to learn the truth.
Exhaling, I counted to three then turned my head so I could capture every moment of the interrogation.
If I hadn’t been looking directly in Samuel’s eyes, I wouldn’t have seen the slice of confusion. A split second.
“You just had to interrupt a lovely day I was having at my little house. In Naples. The sun was out. It was so warm. I was going to take a walk on the beach that afternoon.” The switch in the asshole’s emotions was swift.
His entire face turned crimson, every muscle and tendon taut as a drum.
He strained against the handcuffs, strong enough he shifted the chair by a few inches.
Maverick leaned in, grinning from already pushing the man’s buttons. I gripped the edge of the table, doing my best to control my breathing.
“You fucked it up!” Samuel’s uncontrolled hiss shattered the quiet in the room. The door burst open, a single guard rushing just inside. He’d lifted his torso off the chair, the legs of the cheap wooden furniture off the floor.
He was even foaming at the mouth.
Maverick threw out his hand. “We’re fine. I merely got under his skin. Leave us alone.” When the guard didn’t comply right away, he lifted his head, shifting his formidable gaze back and forth.
“Quiet down, Samuel,” the guard finally barked, all while keeping his eyes locked on Maverick.
Samuel snarled but sat down. After three deep breaths, the terrifying smile returned. “You were just doing your job. I made a mistake.”
“Yes, I was and yes, you did.”
A series of sensations swept through me. He was reciting what happened. He wasn’t remembering.
“That will never happen again.” Samuel had a faraway look in his eyes as he looked at the ceiling. What was he doing?
I followed his line of sight. He was staring at the camera. Did he expect to be told what to say? Maverick noticed as well, his expression remaining benign.
“Yeah, you tried to run even then. What a shame I had to destroy your home.”
“Did I run? It’s funny what spending time behind bars will do to your memory.
But I remember you.” He slowly turned his head once again toward me.
Only this time, there was no confusion in his eyes.
A slow and steady smile curled across his face while a nervous tic appeared on my cheek.
“You were always so beautiful. Maria… My Maria…” My name was little more than a whisper on his forked tongue.
“I will never forget you. Did you miss me? Were you thinking about me all those dark, lonely nights?”
He was doing his best to rattle me.
It was working.
Every nerve was standing on end, the rapid thudding of my heart becoming claws around my throat. Even the lightheadedness was more pronounced.
No. Hell, no. I refused to allow him to get to me. Whether a pawn or not, he was an evil man.
“Where’s your master now, Samuel? You obviously aren’t smart enough to pull off the murders.
All the planning required intelligence and cunning, which you clearly don’t have.
All these years you lied for someone. Was it your brother?
Did he tell you that you were saving his life because his was worth more than yours? ”