I wasn’t entirely stupid about it. The gun was still on Aiden’s desk, so I helped myself. Dad made sure I knew how to handle a firearm. Daniel hadn’t even disengaged the safety, so there had been no real threat earlier it turned out.
Now? Threat imminent.
I went upstairs, not surprised Luke and Dante were missing from their posts, nor that the door was unlocked. I heard a soft groan from behind the bar when I entered the main room, checked on the two fallen bodyguards, both passed out from blows to the back of the head. A heavy whiskey bottle had enough blood on it to be the weapon of choice, though I highly doubted there would be fingerprints for the detectives to find.
The Chameleon was far too careful for that.
I could only hope Reggie wouldn’t show up at random, though I knew once Elle Gordon got my hasty phone message, she and her partner and half the D.C. police force might show up. Would be good to have backup, but I had to know.
Stupid, impetuous, ridiculous. What was I thinking, crossing to the back hallway, slipping into the darkness, EXIT sign still not fixed, though I now understood its demise was by design, a plan I walked right into. The bit of light wavering through the crack in the entry to Room B wasn’t from an overhead within, but more like the flickering pass of a flashlight giving the occupant illumination.
She was on her hands and knees under the table, pulling a panel off the wall, a black canvas bag bulging with what could only be the missing cash already beside her.
“Couldn’t just leave it behind,” I said. “Could you, Everly? Not when everything had gone the way you planned.”
She looked up at me, the flashlight’s glow casting creepy shadows over her smiling face.
“Petal,” she said, all pretense gone, black-clad body gloved and long hair tied up in a smooth bun. I wondered if she had a gun, held the one I’d retrieved on her, safety off. She took in the barrel pointed in her direction, sat back on her haunches, still smiling. “How did you figure it out?”
I shrugged. “My mother was an actress,” I said. “She was one way with me, but on camera, she was anyone they wanted her to be. I was reminded of that fact, that I’m a lot like her, not so long ago. Made me think about someone else I’d met that had talents maybe she wasn’t sharing.” I circled a little, keeping me between her and the door. Surely Elle would arrive any second and I could pass this over to the detective with a triumphant wrap-up to a case that was way more than I’d bargained for. “And the name, chameleon. It fits what I was doing as much as a possible assassin. Aiden just didn’t fit the profile. But you? You reacted twice. Out of character.” That flash of anger she’d shown, the blank mask hiding rage. They’d felt out of place, and now I knew why. She hadn’t been hiding infidelity. She’d been playing a role as the Chameleon. “You’ve been orchestrating everything, including my discoveries of evidence, my interactions with everyone.” It was really rather remarkable when I put it all together. And discouraging I’d been that easily played and so naive. “Even the buzzing EXIT sign that annoyed me. If someone hadn’t called it out, would you have just shut it off in complaint?” Of course. “You probably caused the damn noise in the first place.” Naturally. She was ten steps ahead. “Thanks for the education. I’ll put it to good use.” Cheapest school I’d ever gone to, if the dead guy didn’t count. And tips. Right. The bright side of murder.
Everly stood slowly, second bag of money slipping out from under the table. “Very good,” she said. “Actually extraordinary.”
“You seduced Gary,” I said, knowing I was right. “You used him to get to your real target. Carson Carrigan.”
She didn’t move, but she did answer. “It’s how I operate,” she said. “You should understand that by now. After all, Reggie hired you to do the opposite of what I do.”
True enough. “We know who offered to pay me,” I said. “So, who’s writing your check?”
Everly’s smile tightened. “This one was all mine,” she said. “The money, at least. Carson made enemies. I’m just taking advantage of the situation.” She shrugged like honor among thieves, killers and fraudsters was blasé and overrated. “Anyone would do the same given the right opportunity.”
Anyone like her, maybe. “Did you set up Reggie?”
She shook her head, eyes narrowing further. “That was Gary’s idea,” she snarled. Hmmm. “You’re welcome, by the way. I saved your friend when I found out. She didn’t deserve to pay for his crimes.”
Problem with human beings of the male persuasion, Everly? Certainly seemed that way.
“You must realize her father won’t let you get away with all that money.” I gestured at the bag with the gun. “He’ll hunt you.”
She laughed, clipped and crisp. “Morgan Nolan has been hunting me for years. This won’t change a thing. Though perhaps a nice vacation might be in order until he stops throwing people around and frothing at the mouth.” She sounded like she was enjoying this a little too much. Made me wonder about personal vendettas and what history she might have with Reggie’s dad.
Not that it mattered. “Why bother setting up Aiden? Why not just hang it all on Gary?” Again, didn’t matter, and yet. I found myself fascinated and she answered, so why not give Elle Gordon enough time to get here already?
“The footage,” she said. “I managed to delete my part in it, but Aiden suspected and when I realized Gary was caught on camera at the time of death, I had to improvise.” She winked, the bright and intense flashlight illumination giving her a demonically playful air. “He was easy. And by the time they figured out he wasn’t the Chameleon, the theater would be burned to the ground, the dancers gone and myself just another unemployed burlesque girl forced to move on to her next gig.”
Burned to the… “You were going to set fire to this place?” With Luke and Dante knocked out behind the bar?
Everly tossed her head, body settling into a relaxed stance that instantly made me nervous. I knew what that felt like because Pops had encouraged it every time he’d led me in my deep breathing exercises just before he kicked my butt on the mat.
She was planning an attack, the crazy woman. Did she think she was bulletproof?
“I underestimated you, and I don’t do that often.” She sounded impressed, oddly, like she was amused and delighted by the interaction. “I have to say, it’s been a real pleasure, despite the subject matter. I’ve enjoyed our back and forth immensely.” Good for her. “But, the truth remains, I have a job to do and a reputation to uphold. One that relies on my identity remaining a secret.” I just bet. “The only people who have ever figured out who I really am can’t tell anyone about it.”
That was a pretty clear threat. “I have the gun,” I said.
She laughed. “The one from Aiden’s office? That Daniel threatened me with?”
“He knew who you are,” I said. “He knew you’re the Chameleon.”
She nodded. “He was so terrified he ran rather than try to follow through. The coward. I’ll deal with him shortly. But you first, Petal. A shame, really. Under the right circumstances, I may have considered taking you under my wing. But the daughter of an FBI agent just isn’t the sort of protégé I’m looking for.”
She’d lost her freaking mind. “You sound like you think you have the upper hand. But I might reiterate, Everly, I’m the one with the pistol.”
She flicked her fingers at me. “You checked to be sure there were bullets?”
Oh, crap.
I wasn’t expecting her next move, her foot lashing out, but not at me, while I fumbled to check the magazine. Her heel came down hard on the flashlight, crushing out the illumination and plunging the room into darkness.
I lunged toward where she’d been, but too late, cursing softly under my breath, spinning at the sound of light footfalls heading away from me. I gave chase, reaching for the light switch but flicking it to no avail. She’d obviously thought ahead, cut the power, damn it, just like she’d orchestrated the death of the EXIT light, right? I heard a door open, ran toward the sound, almost impacted the surface as it slammed in my face.
Audibly locked to the sound of her laughing.
“See you again, Petal!” And then, while I growled my frustration, spinning to stumble my way down the blackened hallway to the main bar, terrified at any second the place was going to go up in smoke, knowing she was long gone and I’d lost her, I heard the approaching sound of running feet, Elle Gordon calling my name.
If this was the part of crime-fighting that made people quit, I totally bought it.
***