Crushed (38 page)

Working for Max hadn't even been worth it in the end. She was going to die empty handed, leaving behind her family and her mission without any closure. Cleo would never find the paintings. Robert, Luke, and the kids would never escape this world, and the future she'd wanted so much for herself would never be realized.

It was with these terrified thoughts that Sophie greeted Max.

He walked into the room casually, as if nothing was wrong in the world.

She stared at him with a strained expression, too weak to hide her fears.

The maid exited the room at his command, and the door locked behind her.

Max reached into his gray suit, and pulled out a pistol. He aimed it at Sophie's head and fired three shots.

Sophie screamed as the bullets hit the bookcase behind her head, shattering the glass onto the floor.

"I told you not to steal from me." Max whispered. He pulled the trigger again, and Sophie cringed as she felt the bullet soar passed her ear. "I told you I'd kill you."

He positioned the gun directly at her head, and put his finger on the trigger.

Sophie felt tears come into her eyes as her heart stopped.

"Being Susanne and Gerard's daughter, I thought you had more sense than to get caught."

She took a small breath, her eyes widening. He knew all along?

"Of course I knew." Max spat, his eyes filled with rage. "You honestly thought I wasn't able to see through your disguise on day one? They could dress you up as a boy, but that doesn't hide the obvious fact that you're a girl. I'm not an idiot."

Sophie was too terrified to be shocked by this realization.

"Luke made it even more clear when he spoke about you. He tried to lie to me, but I'd already figured it out. I hope you two enjoyed your game."

"I was searching for your paintings." Sophie whispered. She wondered if she could still persuade him not to kill her.

"No, you were searching for Cleo's paintings. I was supposed to be left out of the deal."

"That's between you and her." Sophie kept her voice as calm as she could. "I'm only a thief."

Max cackled, "Only a thief?" His eyes narrowed. "That doesn't mean you don't have a brain to think for yourself. Save yourself the breath, I'm going to kill you anyway."

There was nothing in the world she could've said in reply to that.

"I might never find the paintings, but neither will anyone else. If I truly wanted to find them, I wouldn't have killed your parents. Now, just like I murdered them for betraying me, I'm going to murder you."

Sophie felt like throwing up. She'd never been this afraid in her entire life.

The tense silence was broken by the sound of Max's phone beginning to ring. It was his private line, which was connected directly to his study.

He reached for the phone with one hand, the other still holding the gun at Sophie.

"Make it quick." He ordered.

He waited for a moment, listening to the reply on the other end of the line.

"Cleo?" He asked, his facing twisting with a sick smile. "How ironic that you would be calling right now. I'm having the most interesting conversation with your thief."

Another short silence, but this time Max's whole expression had changed.

"You sent her to spy on me, Cleo. You know what I do to spies." He gradually lowered the gun as he focused on the conversation. "I don't care if killing her would insult you. This is between me and her."

He turned his eyes to Sophie as Cleo spoke to him on the other line.

"He wouldn't dare." Max hissed into the phone. "Giving the police that information would hurt both of us." His eyes bulged out as he began to shout. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU CAN'T CONTROL HIM? HE'S YOUR THIEF!"

It seemed like it took Max all he had to contain himself.

"Does he not know that I will kill him?" He stood in silence as Cleo explained the seriousness of the situation to him. "Fine. I understand. What does he want?" Another short pause. "That's it?"

Max pulled the phone away from his ear, staring at the ceiling pensively. He seemed to be analyzing the request Cleo had made him.

"If I let her go, this is not over. We're going to make a deal for the paintings. She works for both of us now."

Cleo seemed to agree on the other end of the line.

"We'll be in touch soon." Max hung up the phone, turning his focus back on Sophie. "It seems you have friends in high places."

Sophie's heart felt a twinge of hope.

Max dropped the gun on his desk as he left the room without another word. A few minutes later the maid had returned, and began untying Sophie from the chair.

"What...what just happened?" Sophie asked, her voice shaking.

"You're free to go. He's allowing you to return to Cleo."

"Why?"

"I don't know the details." The maid stepped back when Sophie was free. "I can't explain how lucky you should feel right now."

The maid did look shocked at the turn of events. Sophie doubted anyone had ever escaped after Max had decided to kill them.

"Leave before he changes his mind." The maid offered out the keys to the car Sophie had used to drive here.

Dizzy, exhausted, and scared, Sophie stumbled from the room.

It was a miracle she was able to make it to her car in one piece. Her shock did not wear off until she was miles away from Max's house.

She couldn't believe she'd been allowed to go free. It was so impossible...but here she was, driving away to safety.

Her composure snapped the moment she'd pulled onto the highway. She was forced to pull over to the side of the road. Exiting her car, she bent down into the grass and threw up. Her body was shaking so much she couldn't control it.

Despite the roar of the highway, she heard her cell phone begin to ring from the car. She scrambled to find it, and when she answered, her voice was half choked with panic.

"Sophie?" A familiar voice asked.

"Cleo?" Sophie couldn't explain how relieved she was to hear her boss speak. "Cleo." She began sobbing into the phone, having no control over herself.

"I knew it was going to be like this." Cleo hissed on the other end. "I told you so does not begin to cover it."

"Thank you." Sophie felt so grateful she couldn't help but continue to cry. "Thank you for saving me."

"Don't. I was ready to let you die."

Sophie paused, her tears freezing.

"Robert begged me to save you." Cleo sounded confused. "I've never seen him like that before. He literally fell on his knees to beg me. I didn't know someone like him could get attached."

It all fell into place so easily. The person Max had been speaking about with Cleo had been Robert.

"What did he do?"

"He's risked everything. Threatening me is one thing, but Max will not forget it. If you two don't find those paintings, you're both in the same boat now."

"That idiot." Sophie whispered.

"You're one to talk." Cleo cleared her throat. "Anyway, come home immediately."

"I'm on my way." She replied, climbing back into her car.

"Do you need someone to come pick you up?"

"No, I'll be okay." Sophie straightened her back as she pulled back onto the highway.

"Fine. Drive safe." Cleo hung up the phone.

Sophie wasn't nearly healed from her experience with Max. However, the fastest route to getting better awaited her at her families' side.

She focused her gaze on the road ahead, and pressed the car to go faster.

It was time to return home.

*  *  *

By the time she'd reached the house night had fallen around her. The neighborhood was eerily silent, and Sophie felt her heart sink.

She'd wanted to come back to a place full of light and warmth. She wanted the healing to hurry and begin so that she could forget the horrors she'd experienced.

By the time she'd made it to the front porch of the house, she was filled with disappointment. She felt like what awaited her on the other side of the door was only more pain, not relief.

"You're back!" A small voice called out behind her.

She turned just in time to see Teddy rushing towards her. He wrapped his arms around her legs, and grinned up at her in a way that melted away her sadness.

Teddy looked like he'd been playing outside, and she noticed where he'd abandoned his bicycle in the yard. She'd been so caught up in herself she hadn't noticed him riding through the neighborhood.

"Welcome home." He continued, sounding out of breath. "I missed you so much!"

Sophie was reminded of when Teddy had greeted Robert in the same way after a mission. Back then she hadn't though anything of it, but now that she was on the receiving end of his warmth, she wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.

She bent down, rustling his messy hair with her hand.

"Who let you play outside all by yourself?" She asked with a laugh. "I bet you've gotten into all kinds of trouble while I was gone."

"Have not!" Teddy puffed out his chest proudly. "Gwyn said I'm the bravest boy she's ever known."

Her smile fell for a moment. "Is she okay?"

"She's fine." Gwyn replied from the front door. Sophie turned to see her smiling down at them. "Better than fine."

She motioned for Sophie to follow her inside. Teddy led her into the kitchen, where Rylan was sitting propped up on his makeshift hospital bed.

It seemed impossible that less than twenty-four hours had passed since she'd last been here. The room which she'd once seen so filled with doubt and fear was now filled with strength and love.

Rylan's bed was surrounded with people, including his doctor, Cleo, and Robert.

Sophie's eyes locked with the latter, but she was too surprised to smile at him.

For a moment she remembered the terror she'd felt only hours before, and how strange it was to feel safe again. Tears clouded her eyes as she took in the warm faces around her.

Her hands began to shake, and Robert noticed how her expression was beginning to crumble.

Surprisingly, it wasn't Robert, but Rylan who saved her from breaking down.

"You showed up just in time." Rylan called from his bed. His face had been partially blocked by the others, but now that she saw him she couldn't control her tears. The boy she'd feared she would lose was awake, and smiling again. She couldn't ask for a better blessing. "We're just about to eat." He motioned to the cake sitting on the kitchen counter.

"Cleo bought it for him." Gwyn explained. "Even though he's already been told more than once that he can't eat it."

Gwyn walked towards Rylan and took his hand in her own. They stared at each other for a few moments, both smiling shyly at one another.

The young girl seemed like an entirely different person that the one Sophie had seen last night. Gwyn was stronger now than she remembered.

The others began talking all at once, leaving Sophie standing alone, watching them. Robert walked over to her, his lips smiling but his eyes serious.

"Enjoying the show?" He whispered into her ear.

"What?" She glanced at him quickly, brushing away the remaining tears from her eyes.

"They're doing it for you. Acting strong, like nothing happened." He wrapped a strong arm around her shoulder. "I explained everything."

Sophie watched Gwyn's strong gaze, Teddy's silly grin, and Rylan's bright face.