New Species 13 Smiley (9 page)

“You’ll stay here tonight as our guest. Mable is out buying
you a nice outfit that will make you appear tragic and I expect you to shed
lots of tears. Tell her, Bruce.”

The thug cleared his throat. “Sobbing would play out better.
We’ll have Mable do her makeup so she looks really pale and add some dark
shadows under her eyes to give the impression she isn’t sleeping.”

Gregory smiled. It was ice cold. “Nice. I like that idea. Of
course Carl will stand at your side, Travanni. You’ll also wear my mother’s ring
as if the engagement is still on. We wouldn’t want anyone to think we would
abandon you after such a heinous crime was committed against you. My entire
flock of parishioners is going to be very supportive. We’re going to take you
into the fold and help you heal.”

“I wasn’t raped.” They’d lost their minds. Maybe it was how
they were dealing with the stress. She tried to ease out of the seat slowly. “I’m
leaving now.”

Bruce put his hand on the butt of the gun. “Suicide would
work too. She couldn’t withstand the trauma of such a highly publicized sexual
assault. I can stage it easy and the press will eat it up.”

She sagged in the seat. He was threatening to kill her. She
wasn’t stupid. They were nuts. She turned her head and stared at Carl, hoping
he at least remained sane. His gaze held hers.

“She still hasn’t put it together.” He shook his head. “So
cute but so dumb. It was one of her best traits. Now I see how annoying it can
be, Dad. You had her pegged.”

“Put together what?” She glanced between father and son.

“Dad, you deal with her. I’m sickened by this mess.” Carl
stood and left the room.

Vanni watched him go and resisted bolting out of the chair.
Bruce still touched his gun when she dared glance at him. She’d never make it
to the door if he really intended to shoot her. She addressed Gregory. He
seemed to be in charge.

“What is going on?”

He blinked. “We know that creature didn’t drug you. Bruce
paid the bartender to do it.”

All her muscles seemed to go lax. She just gaped at him.

“Do you know how many hundreds of thousands of dollars I had
to pay to get my hands on B-47?”

“What’s that?” She had a horrible suspicion though.

“It’s what was in your drink. They have a long, boring name
for it but that’s what the man I bought it from called it. Batch forty-seven.
It makes sluts show their true nature.” He glanced up at Bruce. “What was the
total we paid out?”

“Almost seven hundred thousand,” the man murmured.

“Nasty business dealing with that man but it’s a war.”
Gregory shrugged. “You fucked up our plan by going into that bar. It was
supposed to be a woman we hired without any ties to us but she ran late. You
sat next to that creature instead. You caused us a hellish day yesterday while
we figured out how to make this work to our advantage.”

“It will,” Bruce confirmed.

“We’ll see.” Gregory studied Vanni. “We need a victim.
Otherwise we would have just drugged the creature and let witnesses watch him
kill her. As tempting as that was, I was afraid the NSO could spin it that he’d
had a mental breakdown from the atrocities done to him in the past. They really
enjoy playing that feel-sorry-for-us card. This way we’re pitting you against
one of them. Fathers, brothers, mothers and sisters are going to side with you
after you tell them how you were drugged and raped by that creature. We’ll put
you out there every few days with the media and really work the angle of how
your life was destroyed by the event. I think it would be a nice touch if you
say you caught him slipping a vial into his pocket but didn’t think anything of
it until after you realized what he’d done.”

“She could say he explained it as some liquid vitamin he
takes and that he bragged about putting it in her drink after she started
feeling unwell. That should kill any bullshit they come up with when they deny
he drugged her. It implies forethought.” Bruce smiled. “We can spin this any
way we want now that we are in control of her. Bleeding hearts will eat it up.”

“I agree.” Gregory gazed at her. “We’ll write your speech
and practice it before you’re put in front of the cameras. One of my
parishioners is an acting coach. She’ll work with you to get your gestures and
facial expressions just right while you read from the cards.”

It wasn’t a nightmare. She was wide awake. “I won’t do it.”

Gregory’s composure evaporated and he grabbed the arms of
the chair, his face twisting into a mask of rage. “You will do every damn thing
I say or you will tragically be found dead with a suicide note blaming the NSO.
That’s not what I want. I need a live victim to parade around in front of the
cameras and that’s what you’re going to be if you want to stay alive. I’ve got
too much invested in this.”

Bruce reached inside his pocket for gloves then put them on.
The sight terrified Vanni. It implied he was about to do something criminal and
he didn’t want to leave fingerprints. They were really planning to kill her.
She glanced at the door.

Think.
“Bullet holes in my back isn’t suicide.”

She launched out of the chair, knocking it over, and ran to
the door. The expectation of being shot, of feeling searing pain, drove her
into a healthy sprint. Her parting words were the only protection she had,
hoping they thought better of shooting her in the back.

The front door loomed and she managed to unlock and yank
open the door. She reached inside her pocket, fisting her keys as something hit
her shoulder blade. It hurt. She would have screamed but couldn’t. Electricity
jolted through her body and she convulsed, hitting the floor hard. It stopped
and she lay there panting.

Gregory bent down and chuckled. “Tasers really look painful.
Did that hurt as much as it appeared to? She might have some bruises now.”

“We’ll blame them on that creature she fucked. It will look
better for the cameras anyway. I might knock her around a bit more if she keeps
attempting to run.”

“Let’s try to avoid that since she’s been photographed a few
times at her apartment by the press.”

Bruce crouched next to her. She flexed her fingers but they
were slow to respond. Her body felt sluggish and everything ached. More pain
made her flinch while the guard removed the darts imbedded in her skin. She was
pretty sure she was bleeding. It hurt bad enough.

“Fine.”

“I mean it, Bruce. Don’t mess her up. What if a medical
examination is required? How are we going to explain what you just did to her?”

“The NSO security carries the same brand. I made sure of
that before I bought this one. We can blame it on them.” Bruce rolled her. He
dropped the Taser and reached into the inside pocket of his blazer. He withdrew
a glass vial, smiled at her and gripped her hand.

Vanni tried to jerk away but she didn’t have the strength.
She watched as he pressed her fingers to the sides and lid of the small glass
bottle. “What are you doing?”

“Insurance.” When he was done, Bruce pulled a plastic bag
out of his other pocket and dropped the vial inside. He waved it at her. “See
that small amount of liquid inside? It’s B-47.”

“You’re framing me for the drugging?” She was recovering and
tried to scoot on the floor to get away. “You people are nuts and stupid. You
can’t blame me too. You’re trying to pin it on the NSO. At least try to make
sense.”

Gregory stood and held out his hand. “Give it to me.”

Bruce passed over the plastic bag with their so-called
evidence. Gregory smiled at her. “Have you ever heard of New Species laws,
Travanni?”

She struggled closer to the door.

“I do my homework on those beasts. They are vicious.” He
waved the bag. “Do you want to know what would happen if you were to go against
my wishes by doing something really stupid at that press conference tomorrow? I’d
have this hand delivered to the NSO gates.”

Bruce straightened and reached down, grabbing her by the
front of her shirt. He fisted it and hauled her ruthlessly to her feet. She
almost collapsed but he yanked her forward and spun her to face Gregory, his
free arm hooking painfully around her waist to keep her against him.

“They are far worse than we are.” Gregory placed the bag
inside his pocket. “If I can’t use you to my advantage, I’ll put you at their mercy.
They don’t have any. We’ve spent money on private investigators searching for
Mercile employees in hopes of getting them to talk in front of the cameras
about how brutal New Species really are and the deaths they caused when they
were still chained and caged. Do you want to know what we found? Nothing. They
just disappeared off the face of the Earth to never be seen again. I think the
reason the NSO doesn’t allow helicopters to fly over their Homeland or
Reservation is because we’d see the graveyards where they bury their victims.”

Vanni struggled against Bruce but it only hurt when he
squeezed. She stopped. It was pointless. He was a brute and too strong.

“They aren’t kind or friendly. They are just good actors.”
Gregory tapped his pocket, as if she needed a reminder of what was inside. “The
only way you’re going to survive is to be more useful to me alive than dead. Do
you understand? They’ll kill you if I send them the vial.”

Gregory paused, seemingly distracted as he watched Bruce
subdue her. It was obvious he enjoyed her distress. The vile creature refocused
and continued his threat, “Bruce will also have the bartender swear he saw you
dump something in that beast’s drink. They’ll have all the evidence they need
to believe you’re guilty. I’ll be the hero who discovered you used us to get
close to them at that conference. They won’t believe I was behind it since I’ll
just say I realized you were using my church. Do you see where I’m going with
this? I win, no matter what. Screw me over and you’ll pay for it. I need a
victim, Travanni.” He grinned at her. “Do you feel like a victim?”

She refused to respond.

He looked at Bruce. “Escort our guest to one of the rooms. I
would never accuse her of being overly bright so perhaps she needs time to
realize that we own her.”

Bruce lifted her and spun toward the stairs. She clawed at
his arms and he cursed. One hand gripped her throat and he leaned down enough
to put his lips against her ear.

“You don’t want to piss me off, little girl. My plan was to
find you after you fucked that creature, beat you to a pulp and leave your
destroyed body in that alley. They would have gotten the blame once that video
was sent out. Gregory thinks you’re more useful as our press whore. Push me.
Please. I had my heart set on making you into a punching bag.” He chuckled. “I
love hearing screams.”

She stilled in his arms.

He chuckled and continued up the stairs. It was
uncomfortable but she didn’t dare complain. Bruce was a sadistic bastard who
terrified her and was probably a serial killer.

He carried her up to the third floor. It wasn’t a place she’d
explored on her only visit. A guard waited up there and nodded at Bruce as he
opened the door. The guy didn’t even glance her way or meet her frantic gaze.
There was no hope that he’d help her. Bruce stepped inside the room and dropped
her hard onto her feet. The parting push was just for meanness.

She stumbled and turned. Bruce grinned. “The walls have been
soundproofed. Gregory brings prostitutes here and doesn’t want anyone to hear
that he enjoys a little kink with his sex.”

She wasn’t surprised at anything Gregory Woods was capable
of anymore. She’d thought he was kind of prudish but he was just evil.

“He was afraid reporters would breach the grounds so the
windows have been sealed off. There is no escape. I’ll be posted at the door.
You try anything and I’ll hang you from that ugly chandelier.” He fisted his
hands and weaved around as if he were boxing. He stopped and smoothed down his
jacket. “Understand? Nobody is going to care how bad I hurt you as long as
whatever outfit Mable picks hides the bruises.”

He backed out and left Vanni staring after him. She finally
jerked out of her horrified stupor and took a good look at the room. Other than
a massive bed it was empty. The windows were closed off. He hadn’t lied about
that. Thick boards had been nailed over them. She inspected them and knew no
amount of prying was going to unseal them.

She glanced at the bed and shuddered. No way was she going
near the place where Gregory had sex with his paid women, especially if it
involved violence. She sat on the floor instead and hoped that Beth would call
the police when she got home after her outing with her sister.

Beth is going to know something is wrong
. She had to
have faith in that.
She’ll call the police and they’ll come here looking for
me. I just have to keep it together until then.

Smiley had never had an issue with being called to Justice
North’s office but a sense of dread clung to him. He entered and took a seat without
being asked. Justice, Fury and Bestial were already present.

“What has happened now?” He glanced at all three males. “I
know it isn’t good.”

“No.” Justice cleared his throat. “It’s not.”

“Is Vanni well?” Smiley couldn’t shake the fear that the
drug may have harmed her.

Fury leaned forward and braced his elbows on his knees. “The
Woods Church is holding a press conference this morning. Pastor Woods is
accusing you of drugging and raping his son’s fiancé. He’s saying it happened
in the human world so you should face human laws. He wants you charged and
prosecuted in the human courts.”

Smiley hadn’t seen that coming. “I didn’t do it.”

“We know,” Bestial growled.

“We need to find Vanni and have her tell them we were both
drugged.” Smiley stood. “She knows I wasn’t responsible.”

Justice stood. “She’s holding the press conference with
them. I understand that you wished to believe she was innocent but it’s become
clear she did drug you. They set you up and she was part of it.”

Jericho entered and paused by the door. “I’m sorry.”

Smiley turned his head and glared at him.

“You need to admit you were wrong about that female.”
Sadness flashed in his red-hued eyes as Jericho took a deep breath and expelled
it. “I was hopeful for you but she’s accusing you of a forced breeding. She
plans to stand in front of cameras and tell them you drugged and harmed her.”

“There is good news,” Justice stated. “The video clip doesn’t
support that. She was clearly the sexual aggressor.”

“They’ll use the drug to blame her behavior.” Fury sighed
and shook his head. “This is a mess. Tim wants to send a team to grab her
before the news conference.”

“I told him no. It will only make us appear as if we have
something to hide.” Justice came around the desk and stopped in front of Smiley.
“Regardless of how this plays out, you are safe. They don’t have the right to
come here to demand we deliver you to their authorities. We will fight this and
prove it was them. It just might take time.”

“Why would anyone believe I would need to drug a female to
share sex?” Smiley’s temper flared.

“The Woods Church has always stated we must drug or pay
females to make them agree to be mounted by us.” Jericho snorted. “Tell the
news cameras to pan our gates and get shots of the females who show up here with
signs asking us to take them as mates.”

“Not the best strategy.” Justice smiled though. “Some of
them are fresh out of prison or believe they’d find sanctuary here from
whatever crimes they are about to face. I read the background checks on the
regulars. We have our public relations people on this.”

“It would be better if our research on Ms. Abris had found
something useful,” Fury said. “She’s clean.”

“You investigated Vanni’s life?” Smiley took a seat. “What
did you discover?”

“She has two siblings. One is mated with two children and
one is a New York police officer with a mate and one child. Her mother was a
full-time housewife, while her father is retired. None of them have criminal
records. Travanni was a good student, never in trouble and everyone interviewed
had positive things to say about her. She works as an executive secretary in
the same building as her fiancé. They met last year, dated and became engaged.”
Justice paused. “She pays her taxes, owes only a few thousand dollars in debt
on credit cards and most of her charges were for her upcoming wedding. We found
nothing in the statements that indicated any illegal activity.”

“Those are some of the things she told me. She didn’t lie.”
Smiley frowned. “Wouldn’t she have made up a false background if she wished to
fool me?”

“Did she tell you she came with the Woods Church?” Bestial
cocked an eyebrow.

“No. She said it was a vacation.” The silence in the room
agitated Smiley. “You’re sure she’s going to say I drugged her and was to
blame?”

“It’s standard procedure for news outlets to contact us when
someone is holding a press conference regarding anything to do with the NSO.
They want a statement in advance. We were contacted by at least six major
networks half an hour ago.” Justice held his gaze. “I’m sorry, Smiley. You have
to remember that you were just the unlucky Species she chose. It could have
been any of us at the hotel.”

“Perhaps she suffered memory loss.” Jericho stepped closer
to Smiley.

He knew his friend was trying to be kind. “They planned
this. The actual details after the drug is given might be blurred but not the
events leading up to it.” Smiley noticed a dull ache in his chest but he
ignored it. As much as he had wanted to believe Vanni, he had to face facts.
Anger came next. “What do we do?”

“Prove they were somehow behind this.” Justice’s relaxed
demeanor disappeared. “That’s what I’m having Tim work on. I sent him to Fuller
Prison to interview everyone we have from Drackwood. That’s where they had to
have gotten the drug. We just need to prove it.”

“Otherwise,” Fury growled, “they’ll say it was a Species
drug that only Species had access to.”

“Is there any way I could speak to Vanni?” It was a long
shot but Smiley hoped if anyone could change her mind, it might be him. She’d
seemed goodhearted. “I could call her and perhaps she’ll reconsider.”

“We don’t know where to reach her until she arrives at the
Woods Church to make her statement.” Fury held his gaze. “It will be too late
by then.”

“I thought we had males watching her. Couldn’t you have one
of them take her a phone? Just ask her to speak to me?”

“They lost her. She was evading the press camped outside her
apartment and managed to slip by all of them when her roommate took out the
trash. They were focused on her. The only reason we know she’s no longer at
home is because her roommate attempted to file a missing person’s report with
the police last night and then in frustration walked outside to tell the
reporters Travanni had gone to visit her fiancé but hadn’t returned home.”

Smiley tensed. “What?”

“She must have decided to stay with him overnight. She hasn’t
returned. Her roommate talked to reporters again two hours ago asking them to
help her locate Travanni.” Justice shrugged.

The bad feeling returned. “Her roommate is asking for help
to find her? Something is off.”

“That’s what her roommate stated to the reporters. She is
worried Carl Woods may have harmed Travanni,” Bestial stated. “She is obviously
well enough to hold a press conference though. We have no idea what is going on
with her.”

Smiley made a decision. “I want access to the team outside
Vanni’s apartment. I need to speak to them.”

“It’s not a good idea.” Justice shook his head. “It’s best
if we let our public relations people and the lawyers deal with this. I’ll
listen to the Woods Church press conference and address it after I have a
meeting with our people. We might need you there.”

“Contact me if you do.” Smiley left the office and didn’t
need to turn to know Jericho followed. He stopped walking when they exited the
building, spun and glared. “Why are you shadowing me?”

“What are you going to do?” Jericho sounded suspicious.

“Wait for Justice to call me.”

“Bullshit. I know you too well. What is your plan?”

“I want to talk to her roommate.”

“That’s a bad idea.”

Smiley didn’t care. His resolve must have shown in his
expression.

Jericho reached into his back pocket and withdrew a folded
sheet of paper and then a cell phone. “Her name is Elisabeth and this is her
number. This is a blocked phone. I knew you’d be irrational but I’d want to do
the same if I were you. Take them before I change my mind. Just remember
anything you say could be used against us. She might be involved.”

“Why would she worry Carl Woods would harm Vanni? That
implies he’s a danger to her, not us.”

“I had that same question. That’s why I copied the number
from her background file and took one of our untraceable cell phones. The task
force teams use them. This number is for the apartment and I called in a favor.
One of the team members is going to text me if she leaves. She’s still home.”

Smiley moved behind the building, out of sight, and glanced
around to make sure he was alone. Jericho waited at the corner, seemingly ready
to intercept anyone who came that way. Smiley opened the paper and dialed the
number. It rang four times before a machine with a computerized voice picked
up.

“Elisabeth, my name is Smiley. I’m—”

The phone was immediately picked up. “I know who you are.”
She had a pleasant voice but it sounded stressed.

“I heard you were worried about Vanni. What happened?”

“Can you help me?”

“Possibly. Why do you believe she’s in harm’s way?”

“She left yesterday to get her belongings. Carl wouldn’t
give back the stuff she left at the hotel unless she returned his engagement
ring in person. She never came home but she would have if he hadn’t done
something to her. The police said they couldn’t look for her until she’s
missing for seventy-two hours. I know something is really wrong. Now the police
told me she’s talking to reporters with Carl later today, implying she’s fine
and to stop bugging them.”

“I’m aware.”

“That’s bullshit! She wouldn’t talk to the press. Hell, we’ve
been hiding in our apartment to avoid them. They even offered her money to talk
and she refused. Nobody believes me when I tell them I think Carl has done
something to her.” She sounded as if she were crying. “The police won’t do
shit.”

“Do you know where she went?”

“To his father’s vacation house but I called there. The
staff said she showed up but left with Carl in a limo. I’ve called but he won’t
answer his cell. I even contacted his secretary but she told me she hasn’t
heard from him directly but learned that he’d passed his upcoming cases to an
associate. He told them it was because he needed to support his fiancé at this
time.” She took a gasping breath. “Only she isn’t going to marry him.”

Smiley leaned against the building. “Are you sure? Perhaps
he still wanted to marry her.”

“Bullshit! Vanni never loved him. I know my girl. He was
nice to her and she’d dated a dickhead before him so boring seemed safe. She
was almost relieved it was over. Sure, she felt guilty about what happened with
you but not enough to go back to him or talk to reporters about anything. You
have to trust me. I know her.”

“What do you want me to do?”

“Find her. She’s kind of naïve about men. Carl was just too
calm and reserved. That never bodes well to me. Something isn’t right with that
jerk. I’d bet my last dollar he made her leave with him and is forcing her to
talk to the reporters. She hasn’t called me. That alone is making me freak the
hell out. We’re best friends. We tell each other everything.”

Smiley closed his eyes, trying to take in all the
information.

“Including that she really likes you,” she added.

That snapped his eyes open. “What?”

“The only reason Carl would want her to talk to the
reporters is to say something bad about New Species. I think he’s so far up his
father’s ass it isn’t funny, regardless of what he swore to Vanni. He kept
assuring her he wasn’t part of that church but he always does what his dad
asks. I mean, he stopped sleeping with Vanni because his dad thought it would
look bad for his son to have sex before the wedding. He said it was for his
career but I call bullshit. He’s a lawyer, not running for mayor. Nobody cares
if he’s sleeping with a woman or not. He’s a grown man, for god’s sake. His
father says jump and Carl asks him how high. It’s like he’s a ventriloquist
doll for his daddy.”

“What is that?”

“It’s a creepy doll that someone sets on their lap and they
pretend to speak for the doll. Freaky stuff but that’s the kind of the
relationship I suspect Carl has with his father. Is that plain enough? Anyone
with a brain would put a few barriers between their career and that church if
they didn’t want to offend some clients but I think Carl is totally onboard
with them.”

He understood. “I’ll do what I can to find her, Elisabeth.”

“Call me Beth and thank you. Your number didn’t show up on
the caller ID. How can I get hold of you? I was afraid to call the NSO because
Vanni said you guys thought she might have drugged you. That’s the stupidest
thing I ever heard, by the way. She woke up in the SUV and heard those guards
talking about arresting her. It’s bullshit.” Her anger rose with her voice.

“They were discussing having her arrested?” He felt some
anger too. “That’s why she escaped?”

“Yeah! Duh. She was afraid of being arrested for something
she didn’t do.”

“I’ll call you.” He hung up and strode to Jericho. “We need
to find Vanni. Her friend believes she’s being forced to talk to the reporters.”

“Shit.” Jericho studied him. “Are you sure that’s not what
you wanted to hear?”

“Her best friend is certain. You know me. Wouldn’t you be
alarmed if I acted contrary to myself all of a sudden?”

Jericho blew out a deep breath. “You have changed, Smiley.
It’s just that I know why. It’s the female.”

“She’s in trouble. I told Beth I’d look for Vanni. Are you
going to help me or not?”

“We need to go talk to Justice.”

“Let’s do that.”

* * * * *

Vanni clenched her fists and glared at Mable. The older
woman returned the hostile look. The acting coach was a woman who should have
been a drill sergeant instead. She issued orders with the same ruthless tone
she’d seen in movies.

“Shoulders slouched, Travanni. You want to look beaten down
and depressed. You were raped.”