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He’d fallen too far.
And that was the worst thing that could have happened.
Chapter17
Becca was forcibly led up more stairs to Emerich’s apartment at the top of the compound. Without a word spoken, she was shoved inside and the door locked behind her. The wall-to-wall windows one side of the living room showed the splendor of the forest. For miles, she saw nothing but the deep blue sky, a sea of trees, and stunning snowcapped mountains.
She stood at the windows for a long moment, studying the terrain, trying to find a route that would lead her away from the compound. She had to get help. Next, she studied the room, looking for a phone or radio, but saw nothing.
The apartment was a large open floor plan with a kitchen showcasing a long granite counter and a dining table that overlooked a step-down living room complete with two plush sofas facing each other in front of a stone fireplace.
“Cozy,” she muttered, walking through one of the doors to the side of the fireplace. A big bedroom greeted her, with an equally big bed. She shivered and shut the door. Next, she walked toward the matching door on the other side of the fireplace and found a very nice bathroom.
“Nothing is too good for Emerich.” She shut the door, then hurried across the room and up two stairs to the kitchen. She started opening drawers, searching for anything that could be used as a weapon, but she couldn’t even find a butter knife. He was prepared for her.
She hurried back to the door and tried to open it. No luck. Even as she stood there pulling on the knob, the door opened in front of her. She sucked in a deep breath as Marcie stood in the doorway.
“Hey, girlfriend!”
“Marcie!” Becca threw herself into Marcie’s arms and hugged her friend tight. “Are you okay? What are you doing here?”
Marcie smiled and breezed through the door as one of Emerich’s goons stayed out in the hall. “I’m fine.”
“Did they hurt you? Have they been treating you well?” Becca asked, wondering how she got there. Did Emerich let her come?
“No, not at all. They’ve been great. Here. I brought you some food. Emerich has a great kitchen, but he never uses it and there’s not much in his fridge.” She placed a tote bag on the counter and started unloading food into the refrigerator.
How does Marcie know what Emerich has in his fridge? Confusion filled Becca, muddling her thoughts. “What’s going on?”
“You mean why aren’t I locked up in my little basement cell as a prisoner of the evil Emerich? Because I never was.” Her arms opened wide. “This was all part of the plan. Thank you, by the way, for coming to rescue me. I guess you really do care. Emerich had his doubts, but I showed him.”
Becca couldn’t believe what she was hearing.
“Don’t look so surprised. Who do you think was leaving you all those cute little gifts all the time?”
“You? I don’t understand?” Marcie was her friend.Her best friend.
“Okay, I can see you’re struggling so let me make this clear for you. I’ve been Emerich’s inside woman all this time, feeding him the intel he needed, making sure he knew everything that you were up to.”
Becca’s mind just shattered. “Why? Why on earth would you do that?” She couldn’t believe it.Not Marcie.
“Because Emerich gives me what I need to increase my abilities. Not through drills or practice, which would never have gotten me very far, but through his cocktails. You know, you used to use them yourself. You were so much more powerful then. But now not even you are as strong and as powerful as I am.”
The born competitor.Why hadn’t she seen it?
Because I blocked you.
The words filled Becca’s mind and she collapsed onto a barstool They never had a chance.
“You miss it. Admit it,” Marcie pushed.
Becca shook her head. “Sure, I miss it. But the extra power wasn’t worth the cost. That man killed my father and tried to kill my sisters. He wanted me alienated from everyone I knew and loved.” Somehow Becca had to make her understand the huge mistake she’d been making and was continuing to make.
“Emerich loved you,” Marcie said with disbelief and fury in her eyes. “He wanted to be your family. He was your family. For years, he was the only one who cared about you, and you turned your back on him.”
Becca couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “Is that what he told you?”
“That was the truth.” Her voice was hard.
