Better Read Than Dead

  A few minutes later I’d discovered that Bennington had absconded with two pairs of lace panties, and the violation of that brought tears to my eyes. Milo and Dutch were definitely going to hear about this.

  Shivering now because my room was very cold, I headed back over to my bedroom door, shutting and locking it. I left the light on and crawled back under the covers, but never made it back to sleep.

  The next morning the silver sedan was nowhere to be found. I breathed a huge sigh of relief and quickly got ready for work. I noticed my reflection looked haggard, but through the magic of concealer I was able to hide most of the dark circles lining my eyes.

  I got to work early and quickly began calling the day’s clients. Luckily I got through to most of them; the others I simply left detailed instructions for. I told everyone to come in the side door around the back of the building, and to use the back elevator, and under no circumstances should they assume I wasn’t here, even if they found notifications in the building suggesting otherwise.

  The ruse worked brilliantly, as all three of my morning appointments appeared without incident. I ate lunch at my desk, and called the rest of my missed appointments from the day before. Luckily they understood, and I re-booked every one.

  I was feeling pretty good around mid-afternoon, just as I was showing my fifth appointment into my reading room, when an earsplitting noise pierced the quiet office building.

  “Oh, my God, what is that?” shouted Sarah, my two-o’clock.

  “The fire alarm!” I shouted back. Already we could see people moving into the hallway as offices began to empty out. “Come on; we’d better go outside just in case it’s not a drill.”

  Sarah and I, along with about a hundred other of the building’s occupants, descended onto the street via the back stairwell. I’d had sense enough to grab my coat, as the day had turned bitterly cold. We all stood around, periodically looking up at the building for any signs of smoke, and within moments the fire department showed up.

  I watched as several firemen raced into the building, and Yvonne talked to someone in charge holding a walkie-talkie. I worried about my office suite, and thought anxiously about all my belongings left behind that might be consumed by a fire. For some reason this sent a disturbing chill up my spine, and I shivered violently.

  Just then I noticed something out of place, and I turned slightly to look to my left. There in the back of the crowd stood Goon, his eyes pinned on me and a sly smile on his face. I now understood why the fire alarm had been pulled, and frustration welled up inside me and gave me courage. Excusing myself from Sarah’s company I marched over to Goon and lifted my chin as I snarled, “Listen, pal, this stunt you’ve pulled? It’s not going to work. There are a dozen ways around your little intimidation tactics, and I for one will not be bullied, cajoled, pushed, or persuaded into working for a slime-ball like Kapordelis!”

  Goon was hardly swayed by my no-bullshit attitude. “Mr. Kapordelis has a message for you. He says you have until the end of the day to make up your mind, or else . . .” He let the sentence trail off ominously, but I was way beyond reason at this point.

  “You can tell that ugly, cancerous tumor to go fuck himself!” And I stomped away.

  “Abby?” Sarah said when I got back. “You look pale as a ghost; are you all right?”

  My mouth had suddenly gone dry, and I’d begun to shake slightly. “Yes, I’m fine,” I reassured her, “just a little cold.”

  At that moment we were given the all-clear to head back to our offices, and I shuffled along with the rest of the crowd. When Sarah and I got back to my suite we had only a half hour left, so I did what I could and charged her half price. Kindly she tipped me some extra and left.

  My next appointment was a no-show. I waited with my office door open until three fifteen, but Kelly, one of my regulars, never came. I walked around to my desk and put my head in my hands, tears of frustration and exhaustion welling in the corners of my eyes, when the phone rang. I picked it up reflexively. “Hello?”

  “Abby?”

  “Speaking.”

  “Hey, there, it’s Kelly Holms. Listen, I just wanted to tell you that there’s this really scary guy standing at the end of your hallway who wouldn’t let me through to your door.”

  “What?” How far was this going to go?

  “I even think he’s still there. You should call security on him—the guy really freaked me out.”

  “Kelly, I’m so sorry. I’ve been having some trouble with a former client lately, and I think he’s probably the one causing the problem. Would you like to reschedule your appointment?”

  “Well, how about a phone reading; do you have time now?”

  I breathed a huge sigh of relief. I’d been so tired and anxious lately that I’d completely forgotten about offering phone readings. It was the perfect solution, and I mentally vowed to call all my appointments for the next day and let them know that their readings would be over the phone. I’d have to make up a plausible excuse about why I couldn’t have them in my office—maybe that there were electrical problems in the building or something—but at least this way I could still keep my business afloat.

  I did Kelly’s reading over the phone and hung up forty minutes later feeling like a balloon after all the air had been let out. I just sat at my desk for a long moment, my mind numb and my body exhausted.

  It was growing dark, so I switched on a light and began to shuffle some paperwork around, preparing to leave for the day, when I heard a scuffle outside in the hallway. Quickly I went to my door and pulled it open, and as I looked down the corridor my jaw dropped.

  My sister Cat was shoving her five-foot-nothing frame against Goon’s seven-foot-plus body as she struggled with her luggage and a large shopping bag to get past him. “Get out of my way, you big, dumb ox!” she shouted.

  “I told you,” he said, standing in front of her and blocking her progress, “Miss Cooper don’t want no clients today.”

  “I am not her client, asshole; I’m her sister. Now move or I’ll call the police!” And with that my sister pulled her cell phone open and let her finger hover over the buttons.

  “Hey!” I yelled, and came running down the hallway to Cat’s rescue. “Leave her alone!”

  Upon hearing my voice Goon turned and looked back at me, allowing Cat to push her way past him. She reached me and latched onto my arm, her eyes large and a little frightened. “Abby, who the hell is this guy?”

  Goon stood there glaring at us as I pulled my sister into my office and slammed the door. “What are you doing here?” I demanded, not answering her question. I was furious at her for coming uninvited and unwittingly putting herself in danger. Now Kapordelis knew I had a sister, and that made both her and me very vulnerable.

  “I came here because I didn’t like how we left things last night, and I thought we could talk about it on the way to the airport!” she snapped back, irked, no doubt, by the tone I’d taken with her.

  “Oh, okay,” I said, backing down. I was only going to make a tense situation worse by sniping at her. “I’m sorry. It’s just that that jerk has been causing real problems for me lately, and I was afraid he might get pushy with you.”

  “Who, exactly, is he?” she demanded.

  I shrugged lightly and said, “Just some client I had earlier who wasn’t happy with his reading, so now he’s trying to cause trouble.”

  “Have you called security?” she said, tapping her toe as she grilled me.

  “I was thinking about it, but I hate to bring it to Yvonne’s attention. My lease is up in December, and I don’t want them to think that maybe I’m too much trouble as a tenant—especially after last summer,” I explained, thinking back to the time I’d been viciously attacked in my office.

  “Well, you have to do something; that guy could be dangerous!”

  “Yeah, okay, I will, but let’s get you to the airport first,” I said, picking up my coat and moving to the door.

  “Wait a second,?
?? she said as she sorted through the bags and luggage she’d hauled to my office. “Here. I bought you something.” Cat shoved a very large shopping bag at me.

  “What’s this?” I asked.

  “Danielle and I went shopping today, and I didn’t want to carry too many bags home, so I bought you a few things to add to your wardrobe.”

  I looked at the shopping bag Cat held out to me, and in spite of all the tension of the day I smiled. “Thanks, honey, that was really sweet of you.”

  “You’re going to return everything in that bag, aren’t you?” she asked, looking hard at me.

  “Probably.” I grinned. If I knew my sister, I knew that she’d put all the purchases on her credit card, and if I returned all the items her card would be reimbursed.

  Cat sighed heavily and said, “Will you please consider just taking these gifts for a change?”

  “No.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because you buy me stuff all the time, and I’m not in a position right now to return the favor, so it makes me feel a little weird when you’re so generous. . . .”

  “Oh, for God’s sake! Get over it already, will you?”

  “Can we talk about this in the car? I don’t want you to be late,” I said as I put the shopping bag in the other office, out of sight, and turned out the lights.

  Cat threw up her hands, recognizing my dodge tactic for what it was, but followed me out the door anyway. I was sure there was more grilling to come on the way to the airport, but at least she was talking to me again.

  We stepped out into the hallway, and as I turned to lock the door Cat sucked in a breath and whispered, “He’s still here.”

  I turned and looked to where she’d indicated, and sure enough Goon was standing at the far end of the hall as if waiting for us to come out. My intuition began buzzing, and for some reason I felt very fearful for Cat’s safety. I turned to her and said, “Cat, listen carefully to me; take my keys and go to my car. If you go down that hallway”—I indicated behind us—“it will take you down a back staircase and out the north side of the building. You can circle around and get to the parking structure from there.”

  “Are you nuts? I’m not leaving you!” she hissed at me.

  My intuition buzzed even louder, and hairs began standing up along my arms; Cat was in danger. “This is not open for negotiation!” I insisted, getting right in her face. “You will go to my car immediately, and if I’m not there in five minutes call nine-one-one, but you need to go now!” Even though I was keeping my voice quiet, my tone suggested I meant business.

  Cat looked at me with surprise—it was very rare that I stood up to her—but she was still waffling about leaving me. “What are you going to do?”

  I blinked a few times, thinking fast. I had no idea what I’d actually do, but after a moment I said, “I’m going to talk reasonably with the guy and give him another reading on the house. If he’s still dissatisfied, then I’ll refund his money.”

  “He looks mean,” she said, sneaking a look to the end of the hall.

  “Him? Nah, really, he’s all bark. Trust me; I’ll take care of it. Now go to the car quickly!” I insisted as my intuition gave me another buzz about Cat’s safety.

  I shoved Cat behind me and pointed my finger hard in the direction of the back elevator. She gave me one last look of apprehension, but walked away. When she was far enough down the hallway I approached Goon with fisted palms and major attitude.

  “Cute sister,” he said with a snort when I got close.

  “She’s not my sister,” I said, narrowing my eyes.

  “She said she was your sister.”

  “That was just to get by you.”

  “She sure looks like your sister . . .” Goon pressed; he wasn’t about to let go.

  “Dude, she’s like six inches shorter than me and naturally blond. We are so not related. Besides,” I said, going for a change of subject, “it’s none of your business who’s related to me and who’s not. You need to back off, because I’ve been patient with you people and now I’m ready to go to the police. . . .”

  Goon laughed heartily. It was an ugly, guttural sound. “That’s a good one, Cooper. I’d like to listen in on that conversation.”

  “You think I’m kidding? You think I’m pulling your leg? Well, let’s just see how funny it is when I talk to my good friends down at the department. . . .” I reached into my purse and pulled out my phone, flipping it open and pressing the on button. I sneered at Goon as I prepared to dial the number, when my phone unexpectedly went off and I nearly dropped it.

  Goon was startled too, and he abruptly stopped laughing. I looked at him for a moment, and he looked at me; then I answered the phone with a tentative “Hello?”

  “Abby? Are you all right?”

  I let out the breath I was holding and said, “Yeah, Cat, no problem; we’re just negotiating the terms. I should be there in a minute or two.”

  “Well, perhaps you can direct me to your car; I can’t seem to remember where your parking space is—oh, thank you!” She giggled.

  I was confused for a moment, but heard a man in the background say, “No sweat, cutie.”

  “Cat? You there?” I asked, confused as to whom she was talking to.

  “Yes, I’m here. The most gorgeous man just held the door open for me; I swear, you have the best-looking guys in this town. So where is your car?”

  “On the second floor, northwest side in the reserved parking area. Where are you?”

  “Oh, that’s right. It’s down one flight. Okay, well, don’t take—Gulp!”

  “Cat?” I said, not understanding what she’d said. “Cat? What did you say?”

  “Mmmglmph!”

  “Cat! Cat? Are you there?” My ear was firmly pressed against the earpiece of the phone as I strained to hear what was happening. It sounded like my sister had just put her hand over her mouth. Then I heard a clatter, and I knew Cat had dropped the phone. Reflexively I looked to my left out the window that faced the parking structure. Two things hit me immediately: Karen Millstone had parked her car in the parking structure the night she was murdered, and that had happened exactly one week ago tonight—Thursday—the night of the rapist.

  “Cat!” I shouted at the top of my lungs into the phone as I started running down the hallway. “Cat! Talk to me! Cat!” Mounting panic raced through my veins, “Move!” I said to two people who were coming up the stairs and blocking my panicked flight down. “My sister is being attacked!” I shouted as I shoved past them. “Catherine! Catherine! Answer me!” I wailed into the phone as my feet shuffled down the staircase. I couldn’t seem to make it down the stairs fast enough; I was trying to hold the phone, listening to an awful struggle in the background as my sister fought for her life. She was gurgling and trying to catch her breath, and the sounds were coming more and more faintly.

  As I reached the lobby and turned toward the front door an arm grabbed my elbow, and Goon whirled me to face him. “What floor is she on?” he asked forcefully.

  I looked at him, not comprehending, tears streaming down my cheeks and total terror filling my heart as I frantically tried to push past him to get to Cat.

  “What floor of the garage is she on?” he shouted, and shook me by the shoulders, forcing me to cooperate.

  “The third floor! She’s on the third floor!” I screamed.

  The next few moments happened as if in a dream. Goon bolted through the doors and ran faster than any man I’d ever seen. He dodged through traffic and charged up the stairs of the parking structure. I ran after him but couldn’t keep up. “Cat!” I continued to scream, my voice clogged with emotion, “Catherine, please, God, answer me!”

  I reached the parking structure and bolted to the staircase, screaming my sister’s name and sobbing my terror as my legs pushed up the stairs as fast as I could make them go. As I rounded the last flight and pushed through the door of the third floor, I saw Cat some twenty yards away, bleeding badly from her head, and
held in Goon’s arms. I ran full-tilt to her, pleading with God that she was still alive. Goon placed her gently in my arms as I furiously looked for signs of life. She was breathing, and I sank with her to my knees, sobbing into her hair and rocking back and forth as I held her, my terror making me oblivious to almost everything else.

  I became aware of sirens screaming up the parking structure, and out of the corner of my eye I saw Goon looking shaken as he tucked something blue into his overcoat. Then I watched helplessly as he got up with one last look at me, then darted around a pylon and was gone.

  A moment later a patrol car arrived and an officer hurried out and crouched next to me. He tried to take Cat from my arms, but in my terror I fought him and wailed my agony. Finally Cat was coaxed from my grip and I was helped to my feet, but I sank down again, as I didn’t have the strength to stand.

  Then Milo was there, and he was helping me up, lifting me into his car and securing me in place. I couldn’t stop crying as I sat puddled there, shaking uncontrollably and praying to everyone I could think of to help my sister.

  We arrived at the ER mere minutes later. As I leaned on Milo I was ushered down a short hallway and placed on a gurney. A doctor came over and wiped the blood from my hands and face, checking for injuries, as he asked me questions, but all I could do was plead with him to help my sister.

  Someone handed me a pill and a small paper cup of water. It took a moment to understand that they wanted me to take the medicine. I finally obliged my caregivers, and within a couple of minutes I was able to stop crying, and even though the world seemed slightly disconnected, it was still better than feeling like I was coming apart at the seams.

  A little while later Milo reappeared around the curtain sectioning off my gurney and smiled kindly at me. “Hey, there,” he said.

  “Is she okay?” I asked no louder than a whisper. My voice had gone hoarse.