Cyber Seduction: Across A Crowded Room (IATO Series Book 3) (11 page)

“The senator’s threat made my stomach lurch with both loathing and panic.

“‘I always knew you’d be a problem,’ the man rambled on in a crazed state, sounding almost maniacal. ‘Shouldn’t have gotten so wasted before. W-wasn’t prepared. Not on my game. Not-t quick enough.’ He laughed hysterically at his own pun referring to his past football career…a fame he had ridden to Washington.

“The senator faced the bed, his back to the door. ‘Miscalculated earlier. But I was right about the attachment between you and that mutt.’

“Kincaid moved closer and kneeled over me, spilling his hot, scotch-filled breath in my ear. ‘I’m going to beat you first.’ His evil laugh filled my head. ‘Are you thinking? Hey, boy? You just keep thinking. I see you worrying. Heh, heh, heh.’

“I grimaced at the sound of the black laugh—shuddered, more with frustration and anger than pain. As the man straddled my back, I tried to buck him off.

“’You can’t stop me. When I’m done with you, I’m moving on to the others.’ Kincaid sneered, punctuating his words with repeated punches to my kidneys.

“’Don’t touch them.’ I think I was numb to the physical pain but weak. Through gritted teeth, I managed to growl out a threat, ‘I’ll kill you, you bastard.’

“When the senator released the cord wrapped around my wrists, he pulled the whip handle up against my throat. My vision darkened as I choked, gasping again for air.

“Before the world went completely black, the door burst open, and something knocked the senator off me. I took a deep breath when I heard Rocky’s growls. The feisty dog landed on Kincaid’s back with just enough force to unbalance and knock him off the bed. The jolt loosened his hold on the whipcord, giving me the opportunity I  needed to free my wrists.

“No longer thinking, I reacted. Colossal anger fueled my actions when I turned on Kincaid as he struggled to get up.

“My vision turned red just before I jumped the man. Right before everything went to black and disappeared entirely, I saw Kate standing in the doorway with a pleased smile on her face, holding Rocky back with one hand, a large baseball bat in the other.

“Later, when my vision cleared, I was standing over the senator’s limp body, staring into the man’s bludgeoned face, a bloodied bat on the floor beside him. The children and even the dog were cowering in the hallway.

“I whispered past my damaged throat, croaking to the others, “You’re safe now.” But I was disgusted with myself and at the rage I still felt. Even if I couldn’t remember what happened, the horror in the expressions on the kid’s faces said it all. I couldn’t stand facing what I’d done reflected in their eyes.

“I thought I’d killed that no good son of a bitch, and if I did, what difference would it make as long as the others were safe?

“Once I managed to stand, I walked away gasping for each breath, but didn’t get far before I dropped to the ground in the back alley behind the neighbor’s brick wall. The cold didn’t make breathing any easier. The pain in my side screamed. At least a rib or two were probably broken. I’d managed short, shallow breaths as I sprawled against the dumpster like it was a lounge chair, but breathing was becoming more difficult.

“The blackness threatening to engulf me convinced me I was dying. I waited and welcomed death, relieved. The kids were safe.”

Jason sat at his desk wondering how many times over the last several years he’d heard Cade retell the story about finding him that night, explaining how frightened he’d been.

When he’d rounded the corner Cade said he’d been just in time to see Jason collapse to his side. And he’d thought Jason was dead after the dog ran ahead. Rocky bent over, and sniffed Jason’s limp form lying at the far end of the alley, turned, and whined. Cade explained how relieved he’d been when he reached him, then thankful Jason hadn’t had the strength to get far. It had made his search easier.

Cade stepped in to finish the story…

“Jason woke to me shaking him.” The warning note was clear in his voice when I told him the senator was still alive. ‘We’ve all got to get out of here, now.’

“No one would ever believe our story, and alive, Kincaid was dangerous, deadly to all of us. “You have to get the others out.” Jason’s voice was so raspy I barely heard him. “He’ll be worse than ever after this.”

“‘This is bad, real bad,’ I muttered. ‘I’ll get the others after I get you to a doctor.’

“‘No, get them now.’

“‘You look bad. I can’t leave you or lift you alone. If I help out, can you stand? Can you lean on me?’

“Jason struggled to his feet with my help but what Jason really wanted was to go get the other kids and run.

“I turned him away from the house and talked some sense into him. “Listen, I can get you to a hospital then go back for the others. Don’t worry, for now I have them hidden in the work shed.”

“Despite Jason’s protests, I supported his weight and led him toward the main thoroughfare. At first, we hoped to flag down a car, but the early morning streets were deserted. To Jason, the short walk to the hospital had to have felt like miles.

“Blood covered his hands and mine. It was probably better no one drove by and saw us that night. At least there’d been fewer questions.

“Outside the emergency room door, I released my hold on him and said, “You go on in. I’ll come back after I get the others.”

“Rocky pulled against the rope as I turned to go, until Jason ordered, “Go with Cade.” It wasn’t easy convincing the dog to leave, but I thought I might need him if I ran into Kincaid again.

“Cade, let me take it from here.” Jason took over the story again…

“I figured I’d decide what to do once we were all together. We’d already waited too long to get out  from under Kincaid. I stumbled the rest of the way inside the hospital by myself.

“Once inside the emergency room, I gave in to the pain and collapsed. But before I passed out, I looked up. I’d fallen at the feet of a little angel holding the hand of a silver-haired man. I thought I’d gone to heaven, even though I didn’t believe at the time I was a good candidate for heaven.

“A little later, the pain convinced me this was more likely hell, or that I wasn’t dead. No, I was on my back in a hospital bed with hospital noises beating like a million jackhammers in my head. The glaring fluorescent lights hurt, blinding me as I managed to partially open an eye, the one that wasn’t completely swollen shut. I couldn’t move without an ache or a sharp pain stabbing me in the chest.

“When I finally focused my one good eye, all saw was a skinny little girl with a mass of unruly, curly mahogany hair. The ends were tipped with gold as if a halo surrounded her head.

“Yes, my angel in hell.

“She stood inside the opening to my cubicle with a pale blue curtain behind her. Her eyes appeared huge in her tiny face, too kind, too old to be in the face of a child.

“The sounds of beeping machines and groaning equipment drowned out the rest of the world, everything except her. I forced myself to concentrate on her enormous, liquid-filled eyes. Her eyes brimmed with tears, the droplets remaining trapped against their vivid green backdrop. Such sorrow in the eyes of this angel seemed more tragic because the tears didn’t fall. They filled higher and higher, and yet not one drop toppled over the edge.

“I was young, but knew something was off if I was seeing angels and stuff. If she was an hallucination, I didn’t care. Her presence calmed my soul. Amid all the flurry of activity over my injuries, her eyes became my entire focal point.

“Despite being wild and confused, I understood I was being helped. Someone tried to clean up my badly battered face, carefully wiping my split, swollen lips with a cool, wet cloth. All I could think was they should let me die. Once Kincaid discovers me, I’ll be better off dead. I must have groaned.

“A man’s voice, deep and kind, reassured me.

“Questions.

“If I replied, it was lost in a variety of voices as people scurried around, each repeatedly asking my name.

“I thought I heard Cade and tried to warn him…
Don’t tell them my name. Get the kids. Save the others.

“I wouldn’t talk. Even if I could, my sore throat throbbed. It felt raw, swollen. Strangulation could do that.

“I managed to isolate the spots where I’d been injured, by the pain. My back ached from the punching, the kicking. Deep breaths were impossible. When I inhaled, hot pokers stabbed at me. The cold stethoscope on my chest felt almost good. Then miraculously a mask covered my mouth and nose, delivering cool, clear oxygen to my burning lungs. I moaned.
So good.
Breathing got easier.

“‘Just take care of him,’ I heard the man urge. ‘I’ll be responsible for any expenses.’

“The nursing staff poked, checked, prodded, and bustled around, waking me constantly as I dozed restlessly on and off between tests and treatment.

“Sometime later, I woke to hear a broken conversation between the person who had come to my rescue and someone in the hallway. At a certain point in the conversation, I heard the same deep, calm voice telling everyone, ‘Stop worrying about the kid’s name and the paperwork, just take care of him, he’s with me. His name is Holmes. H-O-L-M-E-S. Jason Holmes, my brother’s son.’

“I guessed that kid was me.

“More kind hands moved rapidly over me, comforting my aches, more voices mumbled.

“‘...called us... got mugged and beaten on the way home from a friend’s house. Terrible shame, he’s such a great kid.’

“I knew better. What did they know? Nothing.

“I tried to relax. Nausea threatened. The guy wouldn’t think I was such a great kid, not if he found out what happened. I held back a gag as my stomach surged.

“‘Yes, I’m his guardian. I’ll bring by the paperwork later. He’s staying with my wife and me while his parents are out of the country.’ The man lied.

“Why?
I wondered. I’d once fantasized about running away, starting over, becoming someone else. Problem solved.

“I’m someone else.

“And then I prayed Cade had gotten the others out.

“I remember feeling a smile form on my lips before I fell back into a shallow pain-induced sleep. That night had been the beginning of the end for Avery Holmes.”

The silence when Jason stopped speaking didn’t last long…

Kate blurted out, “Kincaid abused us.” The room went dead silent again.

Cade turned to Emily and added, “Jason saved us, and your father helped us all escape. He protected his identity and ours. Then when Kincaid discovered your father’s identity, he had him killed to prevent anyone finding out about his past. He had plans to run for president.”

“He must have discovered who your father was and then put it all together. Jason’s undercover identity as Jason DesJardin was now high profile but his old identity as your brother Jason Holmes had been wiped out years ago. You knew he’d been reported missing after the bombing that killed your father,” Harrison said.

Jason hadn’t lifted his head. “The only person who knew was Franklin.” He spoke like a broken man.

Emily gasped. “No, he wouldn’t.”

Jason still didn’t look up. Harrison patted Emily. “It’s true. Franklin was the mole. They found the evidence. He’s already been arrested.”

Andrea said, “And although Kincaid got away in the confusion, we fixed him good with El Marat. He’s been set up. That chip deal you pulled off was his. Trust me. El Marat’s men won’t let him go to trial, especially now that they believe he double crossed them.”

Emily stared at each member of her extended family and was suddenly angry. She couldn’t bring herself to voice her feelings. She didn’t know how to deal with this information, and she was pissed off at the whole bunch of them for leaving her out of so much over the years.

She wasn’t even sure what feelings she should be experiencing. Her disappointment in Franklin warred between resentment and murder. She hated Kincaid, that’s for sure. There was no doubt about the vile feeling she felt overwhelming her. But then she realized how much more these people she loved must be suffering with their memories, vile memories bringing back unbearable pain and suddenly she realized something else—guilt.

“You all kept this secret from me all these years? Why? You all suffered at this man’s hands and I never knew? I could have understood so much more. I’m so sorry.”

Jason jumped up, angry. “You’re sorry? You? What have you got to be sorry about? Your father would never have been involved if it wasn’t for me. He’d still be alive. I cost you your father’s life.”

She’d guessed right. They were feeling guilty. “Don’t be ridiculous. Kincaid and only Kincaid started this.” The thought of anyone else accepting responsibility for the man’s demented behavior made her furious.

Jason was beyond hearing. “I failed to save anyone. I bashed his head in and would have killed Kincaid that night. What does it say about me? Because for years, my only regret is that I failed to kill him back then.”

Kate was pale and still. Cade went to stand at her side, putting an arm around her waist. “Tell him, Kate.”

“Tell me what?” Jason looked at them both.

She began to speak quietly, as if in a trance, confessing. “No. Jason, it wasn’t you. It was me. I hit him with the bat. You took it away from me and punched him senseless, but I couldn’t stop screaming for you to kill him. I goaded you on. I wanted to kill him. And I’ve wanted to ever since. What does that say about me? Cade took the bat from you, dropped it, and told Harry to get me out of there. But I wouldn’t go, I wanted to bash him.” Kate shivered.