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He coughed, wincing. “She shot me,” he whispered. “I had the vest.”
“She, who?”
“Nicole, I assume. She didn’t introduce herself. Asian woman, or part-Asian. Long haired, fit. Good-looking, I guess. I don’t know how she was able to land. I was down on the bottom floor, and I heard the chopper, so I came running up. When I got there, they’d already landed.”
“Where are Kat and Holly?”
“They’re with her,” he croaked out. “I’m so sorry. They’re gone.”
“Did she say anything?” I demanded.
“Just that she’d be in touch,” Mick said, his face tight with agony. “And Kat…”
“What? What about Kat?” I couldn’t stop myself from yelling.
“She’s with them,” Mick said, his voice shaking. “She’s…she’s one of them. On Nicole’s team. I’m so sorry, Ethan. I don’t know how it—”
“I don’t believe that,” I said harshly. “That’s not possible.”
Mick’s face contracted. “I’m so fucking sorry, man,” he croaked out. Tears were leaking from his eyes.
The ambulance came, a welcome distraction from what Mick had just said, which was impossible to process. I put it all aside and helped load up Trey, Cade, Dale, and Ryder. Mick refused to go to the hospital with them, in spite of the pain, the broken ribs, his possible concussion. His face was dead pale, lips tight and bluish. He’d always been good buddies with Holly.
When the ambulance was gone, I poured Mick a glass of Scotch and started grilling him, pain or no pain. “What the fuck happened, Mick?”
“Kat must have dosed the sandwiches,” Mick said wearily. “We should have what’s left of the sandwiches tested. It couldn’t have been the coffee, because I was drinking that, and I wasn’t affected. But I skipped those chicken wraps. My ulcer was acting up.”
“Who made them?” Jed asked.
“Angela,” Freya said. “I remember her saying that she’d leave a cold lunch for us before she left. Chicken wraps. But we can certainly rule out Angela.”
“Kat brought the sandwiches into the security room,” Mick said. “She could have put something in them right before that.”
My brain just stopped. Refused to even entertain the thought. No. Fucking. Way.
“Ethan,” Mick began, hesitantly. “You have to face the fact—”
“No,” I said. “It’s not possible. Don’t even say it. I’m warning you.”
“I have to say it,” Mick persisted. “I was the only one who didn’t eat one of those chicken wraps. This was an inside job. I saw her leave with Nicole, talking with her, on good terms with her. I’m sorry, Ethan.”
“But she ran away yesterday,” I said. “To protect us. Why would she do that?”
“To make it look good, I expect,” Mick said. “She knew damn well you’d chase her. They probably timed Nicole’s attack to coincide with the moment you showed up. We were all wondering how you two got away so easily yesterday, and this explains it. Nicole wanted Kat to go back with you for a tender reconciliation. To consolidate your bond. It’s not your fault it worked so well. Any one of us would have been fooled.”
I sat there, my mind blank, while they hashed it out, voices raised, arguing with Mick. Freya, like me, wasn’t ready to accept it yet. Jed just looked miserable and unsure. I just sat there, watching my whole world go to shit, trying to imagine how I could have been that wrong. That gullible.
For God’s sake. I had been begging that woman to marry me. Laying my fortunes at her feet. And if this impossible thing was true, then she had preferred to hurt and terrify an innocent little girl rather than accept my love.
Fuck. The cognitive dissonance was shaking my mind to pieces.
Then Holly’s princess phone rang. A single buzz. I grabbed it, and found a text message like this morning’s. It read HAVING FUN YET? It was followed by a link.
Freya, Jed, and Mick hung over my shoulder as I hit “play.” I couldn’t even breathe, I was so terrified at what she might make us watch.
The video began with a smiling cartoon pig mask which filled the entire screen. Sharp dark eyes glittered through the eyeholes, which had exaggerated fake lashes glued on, and the mouth was an exaggerated, pouting pink cupid’s bow. The effect was grotesque, especially when the pig began to speak in a mechanically distorted voice. But there was no question of who it was who was speaking. Her vibe was unmistakeable.
“Hello, Ethan, Freya, Jed!” the pig said. “I’m enjoying our stimulating game so much. I was impressed by how quickly you got to the warehouse. And kudos to you all, for not losing a hand to my fun little surprise! I suppose you’re wondering if your niece and your girlfriend are still in one piece, and the answer is yes…for now. But you may or may not be surprised to know that your new bed toy is actually one of mine. That’s how we got in and out so smoothly. She’s a real find, I must say. So talented, so intense! If it’s any consolation, she found it no chore to service you sexually. In fact, she told me all about your heroic exploits!”
