Devil She Became (Devil's Angels Book 1) (26 page)

Looking through stacks of bridal magazines, Reese had never known how exhausting planning a wedding could be. Her first marriage had taken place in a small chapel in Vegas. She had never had such a large event to plan. They were expecting over 500 guests to attend her wedding to Harrison. Most were family and friends, however, some were important political figures. Reese had already hired a small staff of wedding planners to assist her, but choosing her dress was proving to be the most daunting task of all. Meg was flying in next week to meet with Reese and the wedding planners. Reese was dreading it. While she loved her mother dearly, she drove her insane, but her family adored Harrison. Her sister and her mother were particularly fond of him, remarking to her how handsome and debonair he was. Trisha had literally turned green with envy when Reese had brought Harrison out to California to meet them all. For years, Trisha had been the one married to a successful and handsome man. Now, Reese would finally have the distinction of being married to the wealthiest and the most handsome man in the family.

While Reese was happily planning her wedding, she kept having nagging thoughts that Ava was close by watching them. She shuddered as she recalled Darrell’s mutilated body. Could Ava have killed Darrell? If she had killed him, what might Ava do to her and Harrison? Reese snapped her magazine shut and went to make sure the security system Harrison had installed was on. Seeing that it was, Reese hugged herself tightly. Hopefully, Ava had received her money and would forget all about them. Still, she had a terrible feeling they would see the venomous spider again.

Fuck, what now? A pair of shiny black very high-heeled boots click-clacked across the beautiful marble floor. A gorgeous young woman with a platinum bob peeked through the door.

“Who’s there?”

Three men in black hooded sweatshirts stood in front of the door. They all had their faces covered with red handkerchiefs.

Slowly, Ava reached behind her back and pulled out the 9mm Glock she had tucked down the back of her shiny black pants.

Opening the door slowly, “What the fuck is this?” she asked in a demanding tone, her finger on the trigger.

“We are here to collect Paulo’s fees… for the packages…” one of the men answered in terribly broken English.

She nodded, “
Si,
thank you
.”
Ava put the gun back in her pants and handed a large envelope to the men.

Silently, the men passed a large envelope back to her. Ahhh… now she had her last payment from Grantham. She thought of that job often. Grantham was definitely the wealthiest client she had ever had. His girlfriend, the brainless Barbie, was the best looking woman she had ever seen. Ava thought of the pair of them. She wondered if Barbie had ever experienced a woman. Probably not. She seemed to be stuck on Prince Charming, the big powerful Harrison Grantham. Silly little thing she was. Ava pondered where she should go now. Should she return to the States? She wasn’t at all concerned that she may be any type of suspect in Lisa’s death as she knew it had been ruled an accident. Big surprise. Ava laughed to herself. It was so easy. Too easy. She had made so much money, and no one ever once called her in as a suspect. Of course, she didn’t really exist to anyone except as Ava.

Fingering the envelope filled with money, she decided she would return to the States. Maybe California first, then New York. Some big city where she could lurk in the dark corners, looking for more prey. She removed the wig and brushed out her long black hair. She thought again of Reese. She just might go back to Chicago after all…

As the date of their wedding drew closer, Reese found herself shaking with excitement. She could hardly wait! She was going to wear a white custom-designed Vera Wang gown with a cathedral-length train and a sweetheart neckline smothered in diamonds. They were going to have a horse-drawn carriage and a huge procession. They were still expecting around 500 guests for the ceremony and reception. Then it was off to the Maldives for two weeks before they would return to their new home. Reese was ecstatic! She was finally living out her Cinderella dream. Harrison was going to wear a black custom Kiton tuxedo. She could hardly stand her excitement. This was the life she had dreamed of for so long.

Harrison was bursting with excitement himself. He was finally marrying the woman of his dreams. He couldn’t have been happier. Just a few more weeks and she would be his bride! Cruising along in his One-77, he thought of how much Reese adored his car; the same one Lisa had despised. Reese was so much better suited to him than Lisa ever had been. Sometimes, he felt terrible about Lisa, but his passion for Reese quickly overcame those feelings. Even his girls were better off with Reese in their lives. They had both taken to Reese quite well, and she adored them. Everything was going as it should. He had felt a bit uneasy about McCallister’s questioning, but he’d shrugged it off as the detective’s amateurish attempts at a confession. Lisa’s death had been officially ruled an accident, and the case was closed according to his contacts with the PD, so they were in the clear. Ava had been correct.

Thoughts of Ava occasionally entered his mind. She frightened and intrigued him. She was, without a doubt, the sexiest woman (other than Reese) he had ever encountered, as well as the deadliest. The strange mixture of erotic deadliness made her extremely appealing. He had wired her payments as directed, so he hoped they would never cross paths with her again. Harrison had had a strong feeling the last time they’d met that Ava was genuinely attracted to Reese. As much as that aroused him, it terrified him to think about Ava returning someday.
No, she wouldn’t do that,
he thought. She said they would never see her again. Still, the thought sometimes woke him up in the night drenched in sweat. He would hold Reese tightly to him, making sure she was safe.

He was also concerned about the investigation into Darrell’s murder. The case was still open, and Harrison strongly suspected Ava had had something to do with it. Pulling into his brother’s driveway, he let those thoughts slip from his mind. He and his brother were going to their final tuxedo fitting for the wedding. Ava was gone, erased from their lives.

********

Topless and wearing the briefest bikini bottom, Ava lay on a private beach in Malibu, soaking up the hot California sun. Coconut tanning oil glistened on her bronzed skin; her long black hair piled high atop her head. She reached over and picked up her phone.

A year after the murder of a prominent Chicago investor, Darrell Wyndham, no arrests have been made. A special task force has been assigned to the case, and anyone with any information on the case should contact the Chicago PD.

Ava smiled and shook her head.
Really
, she thought,
the cops literally have no clue.
Still, Wyndham had been the one to introduce her to Grantham and Barbie, giving her one of her most lucrative jobs to date. She supposed she should have thanked him for that.
No matter,
she thought. She put her phone down and examined her nails critically. Time for a manicure.

Scanning through documents, McCallister threw his hands up in frustration. Both Grantham and Vogel had solid alibis on the morning Lisa had been found dead. He had contacted the Reynolds couple who’d verified Grantham’s story too. He shook his head. Maybe Hoffman had been right… Grantham was innocent and Lisa had been the victim of a tragic accident.

Abruptly, his office door flew open. A very attractive blonde stood in the doorway. Her hair was long and loose about her shoulders, and her jeans hugged her hips tightly. “Colt, do you have a minute?” It was Alicia Hayes, a rookie detective. Alicia had been on the force for more than five years working her way up. Being such an attractive young woman, Alicia had struggled to prove that she was not only a competent officer, but an excellent one.

“Yeah, what’s up?” McCallister ran his hands through his hair.

“This.” She threw down a case file in front of him. “Hoffman gave me this yesterday. Cold case. I have a few theories, but I need someone else’s perspective.”

McCallister nodded. “Sure.” He scanned the file quickly. Darrell Wyndham, very successful investor, found brutally murdered in his North Shore home. Yes, he remembered this case from last year.

Something caught his eye. “Hey, Alicia. Didn’t this guy’s wife commit suicide two years ago?” Alicia bent over to peer at the file. “Yeah, I think she did. Why?”

McCallister’s head felt like it was spinning. “Let me look through this for a bit, okay, Alicia? I think I might have something.”

Alicia shrugged. “Sure thing, Colt. I will take any help I can get.” She sauntered out of his office, closing the door.

Flipping through the Wyndham file, he saw that Darrell had had an undergraduate degree in business from Northwestern. Didn’t Reese Vogel go to Northwestern? Opening his file on the Grantham case, he noticed she had indeed. Interesting. Wyndham’s wife had committed suicide nearly a year prior to his death. Hmmmm. Could there be a possible connection between the cases? Grabbing the files and his jacket, he headed for the door. This was definitely worth checking out.

Sitting outside in her brand new Mercedes SL 65 AMG, an engagement present from Harrison, Reese clicked her long nails on the steering wheel while waiting for her mother to arrive from California. She was flying in to go dress shopping with Reese for her wedding attire.
She should’ve been here by now
, she thought. Reese’s gown was being designed especially for her by Vera Wang. She had already flown to New York several times for fittings, and her gown would be delivered in a few weeks.

Checking herself in the mirror, she touched up her lip gloss and smoothed a little powder on her nose. A familiar vibrating noise alerted her to a text.

Hi, baby, I am here. Waiting for you at the terminal.

Be right there.

As Reese pulled her sleek car around to the pickup lane, she noticed a familiar figure getting into a limo. A tall woman with a strikingly beautiful face was waiting next to the limo and waiting for her Louis Vuitton luggage to be loaded into the trunk. As Reese slowed the car, she saw the woman’s eyes were so familiar to her. She had long platinum-blonde hair.
Hmmm… who is that?
Reese thought. Those penetrating eyes looked so familiar to her, but she couldn’t quite…

Ava! It was Ava. Reese slammed on her brakes, causing the car behind her to nearly rear end her. She gaped at the woman, which she knew was Ava. The eyes gave her away, her mannerisms, her sleek, perfect figure… The hair was different, but it was Ava. The car behind her honked annoyingly at her, and Reese was forced to drive away. Shaking as she parked her car to pick up her mother, Reese couldn’t believe Ava was back in Chicago. Why the hell would she come back? It was her worst nightmare. Reese was still shaking as her mother got into the car.

“Reese, what’s wrong? You’re shaking like a leaf. You’re not getting sick are you?” Meg reached to touch her forehead.

“I’m fine. I almost got rear ended back there.” Reese struggled to compose herself. She checked her rearview mirror. The limo and Ava were gone. Maybe she had imagined it.
Ava surely wouldn’t come back here
, she thought. Harrison had paid her. There was no reason she should be here.

“Be more careful, honey. This is some car, Reese. Beautiful!” Meg caressed the fine leather.

Reese smiled as her mother admired the car. “Yes, it is. An engagement present from Harrison.”

Meg sighed. “One of the advantages of marrying an heir to a fortune, I guess.”

Reese swatted her mother on the arm. “Stop it. You love Harrison.”

Meg smiled. “Of course, I do, honey. He’s wonderful. It’s so sad how his first wife died though.” She shook her head sadly.

Reese involuntarily stiffened. Quickly, she changed the subject. “So, are you ready to go dress shopping, or would you rather go home first and rest up?”

Meg was checking her makeup in her compact. Snapping it shut, she looked at Reese. “Well, I’m old but I’m not ancient. I can go shopping now. But I am so anxious to see that amazing new home of yours. It looked so beautiful in the pictures you sent me!”

“I was thinking maybe we could go to lunch first, then I have made a few appointments at a couple of dress boutiques.” Reese smiled at her mother, trying to forget Ava.

Meg nodded. “That sounds lovely, dear. I am starving! Even the food in first class isn’t what it used to be.”

“You could’ve taken Harrison up on his offer to send a private plane for you.”

Meg shook her head. “Oh, no, he’s done so much already, taking such good care of you. We are not poor; we can pay our own way. I’m not used to all these luxuries like you both are.”

Reese laughed. “I don’t know that I am quite used to it myself, but I definitely appreciate what a wealthy man can give me!”

Meg chuckled. “I always told you it was just as easy to fall in love with a rich man as a poor one.”

They both laughed as Reese parked the car. Before they exited the car, Meg embraced her. “I am so happy for you, baby. You always dreamed of being Cinderella as a little girl. Remember how you always wanted to be Cinderella every Halloween? I could never get you to dress up as anything else. Trisha would go as a witch or something gruesome, and you wanted a pretty dress and crown.” Meg laughed at the memory.

Reese smiled as she hugged her mother. “Yes. I remember.”

“Now you have your handsome prince and you are Cinderella. You are living your fairy tale at last.” Meg squeezed her hand. Then they exited the car.

As they walked into the restaurant, Reese couldn’t shake the memory of Ava’s hard, cruel eyes. Was she really here in Chicago? Reese broke out into a cold sweat thinking of her. The way she had eyed Reese the last time they had met was burned into her memory. She’d felt like a spider’s prey with Ava’s hungry eyes devouring her. Ava couldn’t be back in Chicago. Could she?