Dark Whispers (17 page)

Natalie started down the stairs and suddenly her body bowed forward as if something had struck her in the back. She was tumbling down the stairs. Screams surrounded her, rising up in the air until her head slammed into the marble floor.

Darkness.

Whispering voices.

* * *

“N
ATALIE
!”

Clint burst into the office. Sadie was shaking Natalie. The screams abruptly stopped and Natalie sat up.

Clint rubbed his neck and swore. “What the hell happened?”

Sadie shook her head. “I’m not sure. She stopped listening to my voice and went off on her own journey. Are you all right, Nat?”

Natalie nodded and then stared at Sadie for a long moment before lifting her gaze to Clint. He held his breath as she spoke. “I know where the evidence is.”

Sadie refused to permit them to leave until she was convinced Natalie was calm and feeling balanced. Clint navigated after-church and lunchtime traffic while keeping one eye on his passenger. She hadn’t said much since they left her friend’s office.

“Did you remember anything else?”

“Just the impact of being pushed...and falling. My head slamming against the floor and then the darkness.”

“What about the whispers and the laughter? Could you hear those up till the moment you were pushed?”

She took a few moments to answer. “Yes.” She turned to him. “They were still whispering and laughing in April’s room.”

“I think,” Clint said carefully, “in that case we can rule out April and Beckett. If they were still in the bedroom, they were nowhere near you.”

“We can also rule out Suzanna and Leonard and certainly David.” She laughed, a sound that held no humor. “April wouldn’t have brought her lover to the house if there was a chance David might join them.”

“Farago.” Maybe Clint just wanted it to be him. He couldn’t deny a sense of giddy anticipation at the possibility of seeing the guy go down.

“Or someone he or Rosen hired.” She stared out the window. “It’s hard to imagine my colleagues as enemies but I know it’s true of at least two or three of those closest to me.”

He told himself not to do it, but he might as well have been talking to the wall. He placed his hand over hers on the console. “I can’t promise this will sharpen your powers of perception to the point you’ll never have to worry about being deceived this way again, but I can guarantee you it won’t hurt as much next time.”

“I suppose that’s something.”

Clint parked his Audi in her garage. “As soon as we find the documents, we’ll take them to the office, make a copy and put them in the safe. We don’t want to risk losing the only copy.”

“Good idea,” Natalie agreed. “I’ll call the one attorney in Birmingham I know won’t be swayed by the influence of Rosen.”

Clint unlocked the door to the kitchen. “Are you sure he’s an attorney?”

“He’s the best,” she assured him.

She smiled and he felt better just seeing those blue eyes sparkle.

Clint stepped ahead of her as they entered the house. He frowned at the idea that they’d failed to set the alarm when they left yesterday. While he surveyed the great room she headed straight to her office. The hair on his neck stood on end. “Natalie, wait.”

The doors glided apart with the groan of metal on metal and she hurried in.

“It’s about time.”

Clint reached for his weapon. Too late. David Keating stood in front of Natalie’s desk with a .9 milli meter aimed at her.

“Why don’t you close the doors, Mr. Hayes?”

“David, I don’t understand. What’re you doing?”

Natalie sounded calm but Clint saw the fear in her eyes. He settled his full attention on the man. “Put the gun down and we’ll talk about this, Keating.”

“I’m not playing games here, Hayes. Do exactly as I say or I will pull this trigger. Take off your jacket,” he ordered.

Clint was not giving up his weapon. Grunting and groaning sounded behind them. Someone else was in the room.

“I told you to shut up!” Keating screamed.

Clint couldn’t see who was behind them. He didn’t dare take his eyes off the bastard with the gun. “Think about what you’re doing, Keating. If you hurt her, you won’t make it out of here alive. You have my word on that.”

“Take off the jacket!” Keating’s face was red with fury now.

Clint took his time shrugging off his jacket.

“Toss it on the chair and put your weapon there.”

This was it. There would be no going back once he gave up his weapon. Clint met Natalie’s gaze, urging her to understand that he had to make a move. She nodded ever so slightly.

Clint tossed his jacket and reached for his weapon.

Keating’s attention fixed firmly on him, watching for any sudden moves.

Natalie dropped to the floor.

Keating snapped his attention to her.

Clint fired one shot, aiming for the right shoulder. The bullet hit its target and the weapon dropped from Keating’s hand. He howled in pain.

Clint was on him before he had a chance to recover from the shock of being shot. “You okay?” he called to Natalie.

“Yes.” She scrambled to her feet.

He slammed Keating down into the nearest chair. Natalie had gone around the desk and was preparing to release Keating’s other hostage.
Vince Farago
.

“Leave him,” Clint ordered. “We don’t know why he’s here.”

Natalie looked uncertain but she did as Clint said. “Is the duct tape he used on Farago lying around somewhere?”

Natalie grabbed the roll and brought it to him. She grimaced at Keating’s continued howling. “I’ll call 9-1-1.”

“Then call Harper.”

While Natalie made the calls, Clint secured Keating, starting with his mouth. “You’ll live,” he warned. Clint imagined he would wish for death many times before he was out of prison.

Clint left Keating and moved on to the other man. He ripped the duct tape off Farago’s mouth, garnering another yelp. “By my estimates you have maybe ten minutes before the police arrive, Farago. Why don’t you give me your version of what’s going on and maybe I can put in a word for you.”

“He came to my house and told me that Natalie wanted to make a deal with us.”

“A deal for what?” Clint demanded.

Farago glared at him. “You know what.”

Clint glanced over at the liquor cabinet where Natalie was checking for the documents she had hidden there two years ago. She shook her head. Damn it.

“He took them,” Farago said.

Clint frowned. “Who took what?”

Keating started making all sorts of grunting and groaning sounds. Natalie tore the tape from his mouth.

“Tell me what you did, David. Tell me now.”

“I planted cameras,” he said between gasps. “I knew April was having an affair.” He glared at Farago. “That bastard paid Beckett to seduce her.”

“Beckett said I didn’t have to pay him. She wanted him,” Farago hurled back.

Clint grabbed the bastard by the chin. “Shut up.”

“I saw you,” Keating said, his gaze on Natalie. “I was watching from my computer at home and I saw you hide the documents. I heard you talking to him.” He glared at Farago. “You told him you had the evidence and you were taking it to the judge the next morning.”

“What did any of this have to do with you?” Natalie demanded, fury sparking from her eyes.

“I wanted a political career. I needed leverage to get the kind of backing required. I knew it had to be something big so I drove over here, waited until you were in bed, and came inside. Imagine my surprise when that slut wife of mine showed up with her lover.”

Natalie slapped him.

He sneered at her. “I found your evidence and I knew it was my ticket to where I wanted to be. Art Rosen had the kind of influence I needed. I called Vince and asked him what it was worth.”

“Tell her what you did,” Farago shouted as sirens sounded outside.

“He told me it wouldn’t matter because you were going to the judge and rock the boat. Even without the documentation, you could ruin everything.”

“He pushed you down the stairs,” Farago shouted.

“And now you’ll never have your evidence,” Keating said. “All this was for nothing because Stuart can’t back you up.”

Natalie’s face paled.

Clint strode over to Keating, ripped off another length of tape, slapped it over the man’s mouth, and then he slammed his fist into his face. Keating’s muffled howls made Clint feel just a little better.

“I need that evidence,” Natalie said to Clint, the pain in her voice a raw ache inside him.

He turned to Farago. “Actually, I don’t think you need it. You have an eye witness to the whole fiasco.”

Farago shook his head. “No way. As long as I keep my mouth shut, Rosen will protect me.”

Clint walked back to where Farago sat on the floor. He crouched down and looked him straight in the eye. “By the time Keating gets through singing for a plea deal, the firm won’t even look at you much less protect you.” He leaned even closer. “I was a cop for a long time, Farago. I have contacts in prison. Do I need to spell out how miserable I can make it for you in the tank? You sure you want to take your chances with Rosen?”

“I would listen to him if I were you,” Natalie recommended. “Between Keating’s testimony and mine, you’re screwed, Farago. You and Rosen are going down.”

Farago’s eyes widened as the sound of sirens grew louder.

“The way I see it,” Clint added, “you have one option. Make a deal fast—before Keating. I guarantee you will not like prison.”

“How can I be sure my rolling over on Rosen about this case will be enough?” he whined.

“That depends,” Clint offered. “Did you kill Imogene Stuart?”

“No! That was Keating!”

Keating made more of those urgent, muffled sounds. Clint ignored him.

Natalie looked even more stricken. “He’s right, Vince. You should hurry, otherwise David may get a deal from the DA first.”

“Okay, okay! I’ll talk to the DA.” Farago glanced at Keating. “Right now! I can give him enough to send Rosen away for a very long time.” He sneered at Natalie. “While you were busy with all those cream-of-the-crop cases, I was the one doing his dirty work on the cases you never hear about in staff meetings. Call the DA now.”

Natalie smiled, the expression weary but triumphant. “I think I can arrange that for you.”

It was done. Natalie could have her life back. Clint wanted to feel relieved, to be happy for her. Instead, he felt lost.

Chapter Seventeen

4th Avenue
North
Birmingham
Monday, September 26, 5:00 p.m.

The lobby was overflowing. Jess brimmed with pride. The open house had started at two and there had been a steady flow of visitors since. Buddy cut free from the crowd and joined her.

“Looks like we’re a success, kid.”

Jess gave him a nod. “We are.”

The new mayor and every department head at Birmingham PD had passed through this afternoon. Of course, Jess was pretty sure Dan had something to do with that. Her smile widened as she watched him work the crowd. She had been in love with him since she was seventeen years old and he was still the most handsome man she had ever seen. As if to punctuate the thought, the baby kicked. She pressed her hand to her belly and sighed. Life was good.

“Both the new recruits are here,” Buddy said. “All we need now are some new cases.”

“Those will come,” Jess assured him. “There’s never a shortage of people who need the kind of help we can offer.” Sad but true.

Jess watched the two new hires. Owen Welsh was an excellent choice. Sean Douglas she still had reservations about. He was a far-too-cocky guy. His background as a bodyguard to the stars made his resume desirable, but there was something more than his one failed assignment that nudged at her. Jess couldn’t put her finger on it just yet. Before he went out on a case she would know everything about the brazen young man.

“No frowning allowed. Your open house is a smash hit.”

She glanced up at Dan and smiled. “I was just thinking.”

He leaned down and whispered in her ear. “I was thinking I might take my gorgeous wife home early.”

She shivered and tugged on his tie. “Look. Lori and Chet are here. And Sylvia.”

Dan groaned. “One more hour and I’m taking you home, Mrs. Burnett.”

“Whatever you say, Chief.”

Jess glanced around the room. Where were Clint and Natalie? She’d seen them just a moment ago. Natalie was still stunned that her brother-in-law had committed such atrocities. Jess was rarely surprised by what one human could do to another. All too often the face of evil was one the victim knew too well.

“I swear,” Sylvia Baron grabbed Jess and gave her a hug, “if I throw up one more time during an autopsy I’m going to belt my husband.”

Jess laughed. “The morning sickness will pass.”

Sylvia groaned. “Not soon enough,” she grumbled. “Did I tell you Nina is planning Addi’s engagement party?”

“You did,” Jess said. Nina continued to do exceedingly well on her new medication. Jess could not be happier for the Baron family. Now that she had a child of her own, she understood more so than ever how hard it was to see a child—even an adult child—suffer.

As if another wave of nausea had hit, Sylvia pressed a hand to her belly and made a face. “Why do women do this?”

Jess laughed. She had never seen the medical examiner get even a little queasy at the most gruesome scene. “When the baby arrives you’ll understand.”

“Who’s that gorgeous young man over there?” Sylvia nodded in the direction of Sean Douglas.

“Trouble, I fear.”

Sylvia patted her arm. “Nothing you can’t handle, I’m confident.”

Jess relaxed. Her friend was right. Jess had taken down more than her share of serial killers. A cocky guy like Douglas would be a piece of cake. As if he felt her scrutiny, Douglas’s gaze collided with hers. He nodded in that enigmatic way of his.

She would be keeping a close eye on him.

* * *

“Y
OU
WANTED
TO
TALK
?”
Clint shut the conference room door, closing out the sound of the open house.

Natalie shored up her courage and launched into her practiced speech. “April was such a mess last night, you and I didn’t get to talk after the police left.”

Her sister had shown up right after the police. David had drugged her coffee. He’d hoped to keep her down for the count until he accomplished his mission. He’d intended to kill Natalie and Clint and then Vince, staging the scene as if Vince had committed the murders and been mortally wounded in the process. David had even coerced Vince into picking him up so no one would see his car at the house. Her brother-in-law had been that greedy for power.

David had been one of those unexpected faces of evil Jess Burnett had told her about. Eventually the wounds he’d caused would heal.

“What do you want to talk about?” Clint asked, nudging Natalie from the troubling thoughts.

She smiled. “I wanted to thank you for all you did. I wouldn’t have been able to do this without you. Mrs. Thompson and her family will finally have the vindication they deserve.”

“No thanks necessary. I provided a service. You paid the fee.”

He wanted to sound indifferent but she knew he didn’t feel that way. And she was not going to let him pretend nothing had happened between them. “Actually, I was interested in an additional service.”

His gaze narrowed. “I don’t want to play games with you, Natalie.”

With a deep breath, she took the leap. She put her arms around him and stared deeply into those dark eyes. “I want to explore the feelings I have for you. The feelings,” she said when he would have loosened her grip on him, “I know you feel, too.”

“I’m not the right man for you.”

“You’re the only man for me.” She went up on tiptoe and pressed her lips to his. He resisted at first, but then he surrendered. And then he took control of the kiss.

“I’m not what you need,” he murmured against her lips.

“You’re everything I want,” she whispered back. “And more.”

His fingers threaded into her hair and he kissed her for so long her knees went weak. “Fair warning, once you’re mine, I won’t let you go.”

“I’m counting on it,” she whispered.

He flashed her a grin before lowering his lips to hers. Despite all the things she wanted to say about the wonderful future they were going to have together, Natalie lost herself to the promise of his kiss.

They had the rest of their lives and she would never take a single moment of it for granted.

* * * * *

Keep reading for an excerpt from
DELIVERING JUSTICE
by Barb Han.

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