Chapter Eleven

 

 

 

They parked the car a block away from the government offices. Beth sat in the driver’s seat, gripping the steering wheel as if her life depended on it. Maybe it did, thought Daniel. If he got caught inside the building, she’d need to drive like a bat out of hell to get away, and he wanted to make sure she was ready for it. He’d instructed her to wait thirty minutes then leave. No exceptions. She was still sulking but she’d finally agreed, only because they’d made arrangements to meet at a place outside the city if they got separated. She’d better not be humoring him. He’d meant it when he told her to drive off without him. It wasn’t safe for her to hang around if he didn’t make it out. Until they knew who was after them, he was taking no chances.

He leaned over the seat to the back and picked up a small backpack. Opening it, he pulled out a flashlight and placed it in his pocket. Next he pulled a black flannel balaclava over his head then turned to face Beth. Her face was pale in the moonlight, her eyes indistinguishable from the peak of the baseball cap she’d worn to cover up her fiery hair.

“Thirty minutes, okay? Then drive off.”

“I’m not happy about it, and if it’s twenty-nine minutes and I see you coming down the street, I’m waiting for you, okay?”

“Beth…” He reached for her arm, but she pulled away.

“Just go and do your spy stuff. I’ll be all right.”

He moved closer to her and framed her face with his hands, preventing her escape. He covered her mouth in a fierce, burning kiss that was over almost before it began. “I know what I’m doing, Beth. I’ll be in and out of the building before you know it.”

The street was dark and deserted, but Daniel didn’t want to take any chances, so he inched his way toward the government building in the shadows to avoid being detected. Almost at the front entrance, he hung back momentarily to retrieve an instrument from the backpack. He attached the small box to the bottom of the door and pressed a button. A red light flashed, beeped and changed to green. The lock clicked as the alarms and locking mechanism disengaged. Sometimes he loved the gadgets that came with his job!

He found the lobby empty. From his research that afternoon, he knew it was the security guards’ change of shift. He had five minutes tops to get through the foyer and up to Peter Wilson’s office. One last scan of the area and he pushed the fire door open and slipped through. He peeled a pre-cut piece of tape from his wrist and placed it over the sensors on the jamb, silently closing it before moving to the fire escape. He repeated the process again and made his way up the stairs to the third floor.

So far so good.

His luck continued when he found the corridor deserted as he exited the stairwell. He proceeded down the hall silently, stopping halfway when the sound of talking reached him. He ducked into the office on his left side and closed the door.

He held his breath as the two security guards made their rounds. Lucky for him they weren’t thorough, choosing not to search the room he was hiding in. He checked his watch. Time was something he didn’t have, so as soon as their voices receded, he continued down the corridor to the office he knew from floor plans to be the one Peter Wilson had used. He locked the door behind him and quickly found the cubicle. It was clean. Not one file or scrap of paper remained, let alone the computer terminal. Fuck! Of course it would be clean. The files he’d hacked into were on the department intranet. Thank God for slack IT departments. But damn, where else could the physical files be? Destroyed? He hoped not. He left the room and headed back to the stairwell.

 

* * * *

 

Beth stared at her watch again. Damn, it had been only five minutes since the last time she’d checked. Daniel still had twenty minutes to go. She pulled her jacket closer across her chest and shivered. He’d better be okay, the idiot. She knew they had to do this, but the temptation to run away to a desert island and leave this all behind them was a pretty damned good option about now. She peered at her watch again. Bummer, not even a minute. Crossing her arms, she willed some warmth into her chilled body. The street where she’d parked continued to be deserted and the road shimmered with water. Since it hadn’t rained all week, it probably came from a street cleaner’s truck. The night was clear, but the stars were hard to pick out through the glow from the city lights. She could only imagine where they were as she scanned at the night sky to stop herself checking her watch again.

The door of the car wrenched open and a hood came down over her head, blocking her vision. Holy shit! She attempted to pull it off as gloved hands grabbed her own and she heard the zip of tape being unrolled, felt it wrapped tightly around her wrists in front of her.

“What are you doing? Let me go!”

Her assailant remained silent, but she caught a whiff of expensive aftershave as strong arms yanked her to her feet and pulled her a short distance away. Her assailant pushed her forward and she stumbled, hitting her shins against something hard before falling forward into what felt like the back of a van or a utility truck. Before she had a chance to right herself, a door slammed behind her and the engine started. She slipped across the floor with the momentum of the van as it screeched along the street.

Oh God! Calm down and think. She had to get away, but from whom? Who was this guy and how the hell did he find her?

“Who are you?”

No answer. The van swerved around a corner and she slid toward the front of the van, banging her head against the seat.

“What? Too much of a coward to show your face?”

She heard a chuckle from the front seat. She’d heard that laugh before. Oh no…it couldn’t be…

 

* * * *

 

Daniel rifled through the archive boxes in the storage room of the building’s basement. It was sheer luck he’d found it. Checking the computer database had turned up nothing. He figured that staff were slow catching up on work everywhere, and took a chance that boxes for archiving would be in a holding area waiting their turn. He’d lucked out. The box in front of him contained the personal effects of Peter Wilson. On the surface it had appeared to be a load of junk, but a framed photo had revealed some ripped pages hidden behind the picture. He hadn’t had a good look at them yet. They could wait until he finished checking everything else. He glanced at his watch. Shit, he had less than ten minutes before Beth was supposed to leave without him. He’d better get a move on. Skimming the papers he’d placed on the desk, he saw something that made the hairs on his neck stand up—two names and a nickname—Brian Hamilton, John Addison and ‘The Irishman’.

Shit! Beth was in danger! He pulled out his mobile and called her number. It rang out. Fuck!

He abandoned the box and ran out of the basement and up the stairs to the lobby. He didn’t care if he was seen. He had to get to Beth. Running down the street, he heard the sound of screeching tires where a van turned the corner and drove away at breakneck speed. The door to the car was open and there was no sign of Beth. In seconds he had the car started and followed the direction of the van, but to no avail. He’d lost him already. He pulled over and slammed his fists against the wheel. Fucking hell! Beth was gone and he knew who was behind it. He’d been betrayed by everyone he trusted, and he had no idea where to start looking for her.

 

* * * *

 

“Kevin?”

The van swerved and stopped. A hand grabbed the hood and yanked it off. The baseball cap fell away as she shook her head to get her hair out of her eyes. When her vision cleared, Daniel’s childhood friend sneered. Gone were the cheeky grin and the flirty eyes. Instead he leered at her, his eyes staring at her breasts stretched tightly against the T-shirt where the jacket was gaping.

“I can see now what got Daniel all fired up.”

She shivered with revulsion. How in hell had she thought she’d liked this man?

“Why are you doing this? I thought you and Daniel were friends?”

“I’m doing this for the age-old reason, my love. Money. Getting to have some fun with Daniel? Well, that’s a bonus.”

“You must really hate Daniel. What did he ever do to you?”

“Hate? That’s such a strong word. It implies all sorts of emotions I’m sure I don’t have.” He turned away from her and grabbed a bottle of water from the seat next to him, taking a sip.

“So why are you really doing this?” She scanned the interior of van while she kept him talking. There had to be a way to escape.

“It’s all about winning, Beth, my love. For most of my life, I’ve come second to Daniel. He beat me in exams. He beat me in rugby. He even got a higher security level job than me. But this time I’ve outsmarted him. He doesn’t realize it, but I’ve been calling the shots for a while now, and there’s not a thing he can do about it.”

“Who’s paying you? Is it terrorists?”

Kevin snorted and started choking on his drink. He slapped his chest through the coughs until they settled down. “Ah, that’s funny. No, not terrorists, sweetie. Worse than that. But I’ll leave that titbit for when Daniel joins us. I can’t wait to see his face when he finds out who’s behind this.”

Beth shuddered. So much resentment and hate. How had Kevin managed to hide it from Daniel for so long? Daniel would be devastated when he realized it was Kevin all along—another reason to blame himself for what was happening to her. She thought of Lisa and she knew she had to get out of this. Not only for her own sake, but for Daniel’s. It would destroy him to fail again. She shifted in place and felt something sharp underneath her thigh, pricking her though the material of her jeans. She saw a lump under a rough scrap of old carpet that doubled as a small mat across the back of the van. She needed to keep him talking for longer. “So why did you let us go when we were at your place?”

He laughed. “Oh, that would have been too easy. This way I get to play.”

“What do you mean ‘play’?” She grabbed the edge of the carpet with her foot and inched it over to the side. If she could keep him occupied for a bit longer, she might get to see whatever the object was. It was sharp, so she might be able to use it.

“Ah Beth. I could have killed you both, but this way I get to see Daniel squirm first and to see him realize that this time I’ve outsmarted him. This time I win!” He twisted back to her and she stopped moving. His eyes gleamed and his smile was anything but friendly.

“Enough chit-chat. We have places to be, people to beat.” He turned the key in the ignition and revved the engine.

“Where are we going?”

“You’ll find out soon enough. I’ll be calling Daniel to join us, so you might want to conserve your strength. Oh wait…what for?” He laughed as he accelerated down the road.

As soon as Kevin was busy driving again, Beth resumed her fidgeting to uncover the sharp object. She hoped it was something more than a small rock. She had to get away from this madman. A few more inches and she’d have her prize. She slipped her big toe under the lip of the carpet now and bent her knee, pulling the carpet up with her foot. Shuffling her bottom to the side, she looked down. Glass! She thanked the fates when she spied the jagged piece of broken glass. No wonder it felt sharp. Now if she could only pick it up… The van drove over a bump and she lifted and fell back down. The glass slid across the floor to the other side, out of her reach. Shit!

She threw her body across to the other side where it had fallen, hitting her head on the hard floor and bumping her shoulder on the side wall in the process. Her body would be so black and blue after this. Not that that mattered if she couldn’t get away. She’d be dead if she didn’t succeed.

Kevin turned his head at the ruckus she’d made and chuckled. “Sorry about the rough ride, my love. But I suppose you’re used to the rough treatment with Daniel. Now me? I try to be gentle. Maybe I can show you what I mean, so you can see that Danny boy comes second in that department as well.”

Her face flushed with heat and her stomach lurched in revulsion with the thought of his hands on her body. “I’ll never let you touch me.”

He chuckled. “Aw c’mon. Don’t be like that. I know you weren’t so shy with Danny.”

“Daniel is just protecting me. Nothing else.”

“Yeah right, and I’m the King of Bulgaria. Jesus, Beth, the man’s in love with you. Even I see that.”

Beth’s heart leaped. Was he right? She knew Daniel cared for her, but love? No, Kevin’s just stirring up my emotions. Just playing another of his games. “Don’t be ridiculous. He’s helping to keep me safe.”

“Not doing such a good job now, is he?”

“We were doing fine, but you don’t play fair. How did you find me anyway?”

“I never lost you, sweetie. I put a GPS transponder in the car before you dropped me off. I’ve been following you ever since. Great strip show, by the way. Did it make you as hot as it did me?”

Oh God! He’d been with them all the time. Why did he let them go for so long?

“You’re sick!”

“Yeah…ain’t it fun?”

What was the point of arguing with him? With his bent logic, she had no chance of getting anywhere. She closed her eyes and hoped he’d ignore her for the time being. Her hands were now in front of her face and she could see the glass inches away. She slowly lifted her strapped wrists over the shard and manipulated her fingers until she had a grip. She hoped to God that Kevin didn’t turn around again anytime soon. She angling the jagged piece toward the duct tape and started slicing.

 

* * * *

 

Daniel angled the car into the driveway and jumped out. He raced up the steps and pressed down hard on the call bell. When no one answered, he picked up the heavy knocker and threw it against the plate, the rusty metal vibrating with the echoing noise. The sound of footsteps stopped him from doing it again and he tensed for what he had to say when the heavy oak door opened.

Disappointment filled him when the housekeeper peered through at him, the safety chain still attached.

“Yes?”

He smiled at her. “I need to see Mr. Addison straight away.”

“He’s not here. He’s still at his Canberra residence.”

“Are you expecting him this weekend?”

“I’m not sure. He’s usually here by now, but he must have been held up. Can I take a message?”

“No, but thanks anyway. I must have been mistaken. I thought we were meant to meet this morning. I’ll check my diary.”

She closed the door and Daniel walked back to his car. He looked up at the upstairs windows. Was that moving curtain a person or just the wind? Not much he could do about it. If Addison was at home, he was avoiding him. He pulled out his mobile and tried Addison’s number. Damn, he still had his phone turned off. Where was he hiding?

He drove off, heading toward Balmain. Maybe he could get some answers out of Kevin. He leaned forward, opened the glove box and pulled out the Glock he’d retrieved from his gear. He hadn’t told Beth about the gun. He hadn’t wanted to scare her. Hell, he never wanted to actually use it, but now he didn’t have a choice, not if he was going to get himself and Beth out of this alive. He concentrated on pushing his feelings for her aside so he could work through this like the professional he was, but it wasn’t happening. He was angry and scared for Beth, but he was mainly angry. People he thought he’d known as well as himself were now strangers to him. Was his whole life a lie? And Beth? Her father had been involved in an operation that had gotten him and her mother killed. She must have somehow stumbled onto some information that threatened to expose Addison. He now had no doubt that Addison was behind all of this, and he was going to make damn sure the bastard paid for what he’d done. The problem was, where did he start?

Driving into Balmain’s narrow streets on a Saturday was a difficult prospect. In a suburb where there was a pub on every corner, parking spaces were at a premium, and Kevin’s house was no exception. Opting to take his chances in the rear lane, he pulled up in front of the back entrance. He had walked halfway to the back door when his phone rang.

 

* * * *

 

Yes! Her hands were free. The glass had worked its magic and now the duct tape was split up the middle, effectively freeing her. She didn’t dare remove the tape for fear of making a sound that would attract Kevin’s attention. If she was careful and she kept her hands together, he wouldn’t notice right away. She might get lucky and have an opportunity to escape. She was feeling a little more optimistic now. She would get away. She had to.

“You doing all right back there, Beth?”

She jumped and clasped her hands together to hide the cut in the tape.

“Why do you care?”

“Aw, Beth, don’t be like that. You know I actually quite like you. It’s a shame you’re going to die with Daniel. We could have been friends.”

“In your dreams.”

“No, in your dreams, Beth. We could have been so good together. Maybe I’ll show you just how much before I deal with Daniel. He can watch. That would be amusing, don’t you think?”

Bile rose to the back of her throat and she gulped. “It’ll never happen. Daniel will stop you.”

“Oh, I see how it is. You trust him too much. He’s not the hero you think he is and very soon I’ll be able to prove that to you. You’ll be begging me to take you with me after you see what a loser Daniel is. But enough talk. I retrieved your mobile from the car after I escorted you to the van. I presume his number is the only one in the memory. I’m calling him now. He’ll be with you soon, sweetie.”

 

* * * *

 

Daniel pulled his phone out of his pocket and flipped it open. “Wyatt.”

“Danny boy…how are ya?”

“What the fuck have you done with Beth?”

“Ah…so you worked it out, then. How’d you know it was me?”

“Cut the crap, Kevin. I was the one who dubbed you The Irishman. Now where is she?”

“Not in the mood for a friendly chat, I see. Oh well, I can understand that. She is a beautiful woman. Very beautiful.”

“If you’ve touched her, I swear I’ll kill you with my bare hands.”

“So dramatic, Danny. Don’t worry. She’s safe and untouched—for now.”

Daniel took a deep breath. He had to keep it together until he had a location. “Where are you? I presume you want me to come to you?”

“You’re so perceptive, Daniel. I’ve always admired that about you, but I’m getting tired of this conversation. If you want to see her again, come alone. If you contact anyone, I’ll know, and you can count on that.”

“Okay, you got it. I’ll come alone. Where?”

“Remember Will’s cabin?”

“Where you murdered Will?”

“Danny, I’m shocked! You know I was with Beth when that happened. I can’t take credit for that one, but I confess it was convenient. It managed to divert suspicion from me.”

“What does this all have to do with you anyway, Kevin?”

“Ah, but that would be telling. I’ll save that long story for when you get here. You have thirty minutes or I may have to start the party without you.”

“What party?” Daniel’s heart slammed in his chest when heard laughter over the line.

“You’ll find out.”

The phone line cut out.

Fuck! He checked his watch. It was only eight o’clock in the morning. Another sleepless night had him swaying on his feet, but the adrenaline rush after that conversation with Kevin had certainly woken him up. That and the fact that he was angrier than he’d ever been. He’d better get moving. He didn’t have much time. He slammed the car door shut then slipped the car into reverse before flooring the accelerator, speeding backward down the lane and onto the main street. He had twenty-eight minutes to get somewhere that would normally take forty or fifty. With any luck, the traffic cops would be on their morning tea break.

 

* * * *

 

Kevin drove the van along a dirt road before finally jerking to a stop. He wrenched the door open before reaching in and grabbing Beth around the waist. She struggled to keep her hands together while he dragged her out of the van and stood her up next to him before kicking the door closed. He spun her around and pushed her toward a cabin about twenty feet away.

“Where are we?” asked Beth as she scanned her surroundings for a potential escape route.

Kevin shoved her harder, hurrying her on. “This matters because…?”

“I was just curious. Ouch!”

“Sorry, but I’ve decided I don’t feel like talking to you right now, so shut up and you’ll stay in one piece until Daniel gets here.”

Fine with me. That would make it easier to hide the fact that her hands were free.

She stared at the cabin. A remnant of some previous hippie owner, it had once been multicolored. Now the many colors had faded and what were left were peeling off the weathered boards. She slowed down when she neared the door and Kevin moved in front, kicking it open with one hand anchored to her shoulder, digging in his fingers until it hurt. He pushed her in front of him again and into the corridor. “Get into that bedroom and I’ll deal with you later.”

She saw an open door and took a chance that it was the room he was talking about. It was. She moved in toward the old cast-iron bed and the door shut behind her. The lock turned and she was alone. She unclasped her hands and shook them, stretching out the stiffness. She focused on the old window and made a beeline for it. The wood was rotten and there were no locks that she could see. She undid the latch and tried to open it. Nothing. Applying a bit more pressure, she tried again. Still nothing. Shit. There was something poking out near the top of the sash. What was it? Damn, it was nailed shut. The nail protruded about an inch, and judging by the softness of the wood, she might be able to work it out of its hole. Her hand was poised over it when she heard the lock in the door turn.

She made it to the bed and sat down just in time.

The door opened and Kevin walked in with a steaming cup of coffee. “I thought you’d like some coffee since you missed breakfast.”

“You’re so generous. Just put it down on the dressing table over there and I’ll drink it later.”

“Tsk, tsk, always suspicious. You think I’d bother trying to poison you? What would be the point? I want Daniel to see what I have planned for you, so I need you alive for that.”

“Alive maybe, but not necessarily conscious. Thanks, but I’ll pass for now.”

“Suit yourself. Your loss.” He turned to leave then turned back. “Oh, and you won’t have to wait long. Daniel will be here very soon. Aren’t you pleased? I can hear your heart pounding from here.” He laughed as he shut the door and locked her in.

She went straight for the window again and started working on the nail. She couldn’t allow his words to rattle her. She was stressed enough as it was. She had to get away from there before Daniel arrived with help. It sounded simple, but whether or not she could pull it off was still to be seen.

 

* * * *

 

Daniel left his car on a neighboring property and advanced toward the cabin. The thick bushland was a useful cover as he spied the rundown buildings a short way ahead. He stopped behind the wide trunk of an old gum and crouched, opening his backpack and withdrawing his gun and a knife in a holster. He slipped a magazine into the pistol and checked the safety. He placed the gun in the back of his jeans, then lifted the cuff of his pant leg and strapped the knife to his ankle. He wished it was dark, but he had to work with what he had. He stood, then moved forward from tree to tree to stay out of sight.

When he reached the cabin, he ducked and headed to the side wall to check out the windows. He remembered from his time here two days ago that there was a bedroom on this side. Crouching, he crawled along the uneven ground, watching for obstacles and, at the same time, listening for evidence of Beth’s presence. As he approached the bedroom, he heard a rattling sound coming from the window. Was Beth trying to escape? God that woman has courage. It was one of the reasons he’d fallen in love with her. He couldn’t deny it any longer, and rather than distract him, it gave him more focus. He would get her and they would be together—if she’d have him. But that would have to wait. The rattling had stopped and he now heard voices. Kevin had come into the room and he was laughing. He took a chance and peered through the bottom corner of the window.

Kevin had grabbed Beth’s hands and held them behind her back. She struggled against him as he pulled out his belt from his jeans and tied her up. She flinched as he tightened the belt. He threw her on to the bed before his hand went to her shirt and ripped it apart, exposing her bra.

Son of a bitch!

He didn’t dare break the glass as it would take too long to get through the window, and it would also give Kevin a chance to draw his weapon. Instead he bolted around to the open back door and up the hallway to the room, kicking the door in. Beth screamed as Kevin placed one hand over her mouth and lowered his face to her breast. Daniel grabbed Kevin by the scruff of the neck and hauled him off her, throwing him across the floor.

He stood over him, placing a foot on Kevin’s windpipe. Over his shoulder he spoke to Beth. “Did he hurt you?” He heard her short, swift breaths as she tried to calm herself. “Beth? You okay?”

Her croaky voice answered him in between intakes of breath. “He didn’t hurt me. I’m fine.”

“Hang on a sec while I tie this bastard up, then I’ll free your hands.”

Kevin gasped as the pressure on his neck increased.

“I told you I’d kill you if you touched her, but lucky for you, I find I don’t have the stomach for it. I’ll let the cops deal with you.” He released his foot, rolled him over and straddled him while he cuffed his hands and feet with the plastic tape he pulled from his pocket.

Kevin groaned. “You’ve cut off the circulation! Get it off, you prick!”

“No way, you bastard. Your hands can fall off for all I care.”

He went to Beth, who was still sitting on the bed. He made fast work of the belt that held her hands and he pulled her shirt together. She threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and holding on for dear life. He pulled her close with his free arm, while he kept his gun trained on Kevin and watched his every move.

“Just tell me this, Kevin. Why did you betray me?”

“Why? Because I hate you, that’s why! You always were the perfect one, the one who always came first. You even beat me in rugby. Then when we finished Uni, you were still the one who won everything. You got the first job. You got promoted first. You were on the fast track to the top. I couldn’t stand it any longer, so I set myself up with a little business on the side and became ‘The Irishman’. You won’t believe the money I have stashed away.”

“I never made the connection, never suspected it was you. Even if I did give you the nickname, who thinks their best friend is a hitman? Jesus, Kevin. What happened to you?”

“Nothing happened, Daniel. I just grew smarter.”

“Smart? Fuck, you were going to kill us!”

“Shame I didn’t finish the job!”

Daniel pushed Beth from his arms and headed toward Kevin. “You fucking bastard!” He raised his fist to strike him but Beth grabbed his arm, preventing the blow.

“Daniel, don’t bring yourself down to his level. He wants to rile you.”

Daniel stared at him for about a minute, thinking about the pleasure it would give him to beat the crap out of Kevin, but she was right. It wouldn’t achieve anything. He dropped his hand then held it out to Beth. “Come on, sweetheart. Let’s get the hell out of here.”

“You can’t just leave me here!”

Daniel laughed as he and Beth walked hand in hand out of the door. “Of course I can, but don’t worry, I’ll send someone along to get you real soon.”

“I don’t think so, Daniel.”

Daniel turned toward the front door and the silver-haired figure standing there. He must have walked quietly into the cabin while they were distracted with Kevin. He strode quickly toward them and grabbed Beth by the arm. He pulled her close and wrapped his arm around her neck, pressing a gun at her temple.

“Addison.”

“Uncle Jack?”

“He’s your Uncle Jack?” Daniel started to move toward them.

“Move back and drop the gun, Daniel, or I’ll shoot her right here.”

“Why do you want to hurt me, Uncle Jack?”

“I don’t want to, Beth, but I have to. What you saw on that train could ruin me. I can’t let that happen. Not after all this time. I’m sorry, Beth.”

“But I can’t remember anything!” She twisted in his grip but he only tightened his hold, making her cry out. Daniel inched forward.

“I can’t take that chance, Beth. Get back, Daniel!”

“You saw his henchman kill Peter Wilson. He must’ve been worried that you recognized him somehow.”

“Brilliant deduction, my dear Daniel. But you still have no idea how far this goes.”

 

Beth closed her eyes. Was Daniel right? Had she seen someone she recognized? One of her nightmares flashed into her mind. The one where the masked man takes off his mask and shoots at her. Oh my God! I remember!

“What does her father have to do with this, Addison? At least let her know why this all happened.”

“Her father got too nosy. He figured out I was selling information on government contracts. I had to stop him before he reported me.”

“You killed my parents? You were so nice to me at the funeral, and you had that horrible man with you who followed you around. The one who reminded me of a gangster from a Mafia movie. I remember now—it was him I saw on the train!”

“Give the girl a prize! I knew you’d figure it out eventually. Lucky for me you don’t get a chance to tell anyone.”

“Let her go, Addison. You’re just making things worse, adding her death to all the other charges that will be made against you.”

Addison laughed. “Charges? What charges? I have the upper hand here. Now move back into the bedroom and let me finish what Kevin started.”

“To quote your words back to you, Addison, I don’t think so.”

What the hell is Daniel up to? His eyes met hers for just a second and she knew. He had a plan. Thank God. Addison pulled her body closer to his as he cocked the trigger of the gun.

“I’ll shoot her now if you don’t move. Now get in there!”

“No, I think I’ll just watch.”

“Watch? What the fuck are you talking about?”

Beth found herself thrust toward the floor as two policemen disarmed Addison from behind and threw him face-first against the wall, pulling his arms behind him before cuffing him.

“I’m talking about you being arrested, Addison. That’s what the fuck I’m talking about. Did you think I was stupid enough to come here without backup? I called the local police before I got here. I can trust them.”

Beth stood and held out her arm to Daniel. He pulled her close and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. They walked outside toward the sunlight together. It was finally over.