Deadly Double (28 page)

“I had to prove that I could beat her at her own game,” she berated herself.

Josie rushed past the small lake and reached the pool and sauna in the backyard in no time flat. When she finally approached one of the back windows, she was unable to see anything through the Venetian blinds. She still had the spare key that would gain her entrance through the garage, but what would she do if Michelle were sitting in the kitchen waiting for her?

All the what-ifs were going to drive her mad. She wouldn’t know until she actually did something. But Josie never reached the garage. The minute she eased around one corner, a pair of arms wrapped around her like a steel vise, and something hard hit her on the back of the head.

#

“We have a match,” Ming announced to her small team as pulled the crime lab report from the fax machine.

A small whoop of victory went up among her five-man team, but she didn’t dabble with them long. She rushed over to her phone and immediately tried to get the captain on the phone. With D’Angelo’s confession and the fingerprint match, she was sure to have enough to get permission to haul in the phony Ms. Josephine Ferrell.

Ten minutes later, she and her men received the go ahead. “All right everyone, listen up. This should be a simple arrest, but we’re dealing with a mentally ill suspect and one who’s likely armed and dangerous.”

“I’m tired, but I haven’t fallen asleep. Please tell me you have good news. I wasn’t prepared to pull a twenty-four hour shift.”

Tyrese cleared his voice. “Yeah. Her goons left for a while, but then returned carrying something heavy. Sorry, I couldn’t get a good look at what it was, but I’m sure am curious though.”

“Well, hold tight. We’re on our way.”

“Be warned. She could go quietly or she could go out like Scarface. After what I saw at the gas station, I think the woman might have a few screws loose or something.”

Pain ricocheted through Josie’s head as she pried her eyes open. She tried to lift a hand to see whether she was bleeding, but her arms were bound behind her back, and more pain shot through her wrist.

“Oh, thank God. You’re still alive.”

Josie’s heart leapt at the sound of the familiar voice, and she struggled even harder to see through the mesh of her eyelashes. “Will…?”

“Yes, sweetheart. It’s me. Are you okay?”

Josie’s vision finally focused, and she was horrified at the sight of his bloodied and bruised face. “Ohmigosh. What has she done to you?” She tried to move again, but realized that, like him, she was tied to a chair.

“I’m all right,” he said. His eyes softened as they roamed over her face, and then slowly lowered. “Some hero I turned out to be, huh?”

Tears swelled and seeped from her eyes. How she wished she could reach out and hold him. “I think you’re a wonderful hero. I’m the lousy heroine. I should have confided in you. I should have trusted you more.”

William swung his weight and scooted his chair over to her. “Never mind about me. How are you? When they brought you in I thought…”

“Will…”

“Please, let me finish,” he begged, and then licked his swollen lips. “It scared me. All I could think about was all the time we’ve wasted. My head filled with a list of things I’ve never said…all the things my pride wouldn’t let me say.”

“Relax,” Michelle said, rolling her eyes. “My boys made sure those knots were nice and tight.” Her gaze swung between the couple. “You know, neither of you have thanked me for reuniting you two lovebirds. What has it been fifteen...sixteen years? I should at least get flowers.”

Josie frowned as she listened to Michelle’s insane ramblings. “You’ll never get away with this.”

“I already have. You know, at first when Danny and I cooked up this scheme, I had my doubts; but I’m just amazed by how little people missed you. What did you do after your failed musical career, live under a rock or something?”

The verbal attack struck a raw nerve in Josie, mainly because it held a note of truth. She hadn’t done much after her career, and now that she might very well be at the end of her life, she couldn’t help but wish she had the wasted time back.

Michelle snickered as she eased farther into the room. This time her attention was centered on William. “I have to hand it to you, Josie. You certainly have a good eye when it comes to men.” She reached out and ran her fingers through his hair. “Too bad we never hooked up. You look like you know how to show a girl a real good time. Of course, it’s not too late.”

William jerked his head away from her touch, but watched her through wary eyes.

“I take that as a
no
.” Michelle sighed and lowered her hand back to her side. “You know…” She hiked her skirt up to mid-thigh and straddled him in the chair. “I’ve never liked the word ‘no’. That’s why I always take what I want.”

She struggled to turn his head back toward her, and when she failed, she instead gave him a long, wet lick against the side of his face. Michelle turned her head and winked at her sister. “He tastes pretty good.”

“Get the hell off me,” he hissed, and tried to buck her off his lap.

Michelle’s head rocked back with a hearty laugh. “This is the most fun I’ve had in months.” She delivered another lick and a high cackle.

“You’re crazy.” Josie strained against her ropes.

Michelle tsked under her breath. “What’s the matter? You don’t like sharing your toys?” She climbed off William’s lap and moved toward her sister.

Before Josie thought about what she was going to do, she pitched her body forward, stood in a crunched position, and hit Michelle in the stomach, head-on, like a wrecking ball.

William assumed the same tactical position and bowled sideways into them. They toppled over as William’s chair shattered with a crunch beneath him and his ropes slackened.

Michelle gathered her senses, regained her footing, and batted her arms against Josie’s head and body.

Josie couldn’t defend herself, and it wasn’t long before she tasted blood. Yet she wouldn’t give her sister the satisfaction of knowing how hurt she was by crying out or begging for mercy, so she took each blow gladly.

Though William was free from his binding, he was quickly restrained by one of the muscled bullies and turned into a punching bag by the other. Once, he reared back and kicked his feet upward and clocked his assailant hard across the jaw.

However, it was his only good move. His assailant shook off the blow as though a mere mosquito had stung him. The next punch William received broke a rib.

Less than a minute after their brave attempt to fight back, both William and Josie were reduced to battered heaps on the floor and the two bodyguards helped their boss back onto her feet.

“Get her up,” Michelle commanded, while her body shook with uncontrollable rage.

The men lifted and righted Josie’s chair just as Michelle wedged her way in between them and grabbed a fistful of Josie’s hair.

Josie winced, but she didn’t make a sound.

You need the money before you kill her.

Michelle laughed. “Don’t kid yourself. Your so-called father didn’t want you around any more than mine. Mine shoved me into one hospital after another while yours shipped you to some foreign boarding school. So you can just stop looking down on me because you’re no better than I am.”

She glanced at him with disdain. “Other than the fact that I never liked her? I figured since my darling Ambrose wouldn’t kill Josie through a drug overdose as he promised, I knew it would only be a matter of time before my old doctor realized that Josie wasn’t me. I couldn’t have that now, could I?”

“And Ambrose?”

“Because he didn’t keep his promise. Plus, after Bancroft’s untimely death, he was a little too jumpy, and he knew too much.”

“What about your
boyfriend?”
he asked. “Why in the hell did you kill him?”

“Daniel?” Michelle smiled. “Why don’t you ask my sister about Daniel?”

“Shut up,” Josie barked.

Michelle shrugged. “She did me a favor. I didn’t want to split you inheritance down the middle, especially since I had to do all the work. And it all ends tonight.”

Josie shook her head. ‘It’s not quite the speech to give when you want me to hand over a fortune.”

“Actually, I don’t care if you tell me where it is. Keystone Institute will eventually cut me a nice multi-million dollar check; well, cutting you a check.” She smirked. “It’ll be enough to last until I find out what you did with the money. I’ll apply for new credit cards, sell the house, whatever.”

Swallowing, Josie’s last ace was slowly turning into a deuce.

A lopsided smile sloped Michelle’s lips. “For what it’s worth, I’m going to sure miss you.” She leaned down and kissed Josie solidly on the mouth. “Keep a warm seat for me in hell.” She winked, and then turned to her hired hands. “Get rid of them.”

Chapter 36

Detective Simmons ignored his stomach’s grumbling, but remained bored watching the distant house. He prayed that his partner and their small team would arrive soon. Sudden movement at the front door of the estate caught his attention and he reached over to the passenger seat and grabbed his binoculars.

D’Angelo’s goons were loading something big and heavy into the trunk of a car. It was hard to make out, but it looked like their load resembled a body. He adjusted the focus on his lens but by that time, the men had closed the trunk.

“What the hell are you guys up to?” he whispered, trying to figure things out.

Michelle and the men piled into the car.

“Okay, something
is
going on.” He reached for his cell phone and dialed Ming. “Where are you?”

“About three minutes out. Why? What’s going on?”

“It looks like the gang is clearing out.” He watched the car head off down the driveway, but it cut across the manicured lawn to head toward the back of the house. “Something is definitely up.” He opened his car door.

#

Scared, bound, and crunched in a spoon position in the trunk of a car, Josie and William were faced with the realization that this could be the end. However, Josie was grateful for small mercies. Michelle and her men didn’t gag them. In this moment where there was so much to say, she didn’t know where to begin, and as a result, she didn’t say anything.

“I love you, Josie,” William whispered. “I know it’s probably not what you want to hear, but if this is the end, I want you to know that I’ve never stopped loving you.” He inched closer until their bodies touched, and then pressed a kiss against the back of her head.

Silence greeted her confession, but she continued. “I hired someone to find you and when I learned about your apartment near the Emory campus, I cam to surprise you.”