Haunted (State v. Sefore) (20 page)

Chapter Twenty-Five

M
addison must be
a liquidator magnet. No other explanation accounted for the stranger making her way toward the nurses’ station. The exotic woman moved like a panther, slinking forward with controlled ease and power. Her signet ring caught the light, drawing the attention of everyone in the area.

When she came to a stop before Maddison and the nurse on duty, her perfect curls settled on leather-clad shoulders. “I’m looking for Maddison James.” She sneered as though it was beneath her to speak to mere mortals.

“You found me.” Maddison clenched her teeth shut to keep from saying more. She’d pushed enough buttons in the last three months, and even Daniel didn’t seem as dangerous as this woman.

The woman’s gaze drifted over her. “Hmm.” She turned to the nurse, holding up her hand and waving the finger with the signet ring. “I’m going to borrow Miss James for a bit. Excuse her for the rest of the day.”

Nurse Tuttle gaped, shooting a wide-eyed look in Maddison’s direction.

The catwoman released a harsh laugh. “She’ll be back tomorrow. Probably.”

Good sense warned Maddison to act submissive, but she couldn’t watch the liquidator toy with Nurse Tuttle. She swiped her card. “Have a good weekend, Sandy. I’ll see you when you get back Sunday.” She turned to Catwoman. “Where to?”

The other woman’s face hardened. “The elevator will do.”

Maddison walked past her toward the elevators. Her fingers twisted a strand of hair. She forced herself to release it. When the first set of doors opened, they entered, and the liquidator pushed the emergency stop button.

“I’m not a woman to be played with. I expect you to answer my questions and nothing more. Got it?” She stood, hands on her hips. Her eyes pinned Maddison in place.

Maddison nodded.

“What is your relationship with Noah State?”

“I’m his girlfriend.”

“So, he did tell you who he is.” The woman sighed; a hand dropped off her hip. “Daniel told me you weren’t a threat. He didn’t mention you knew.”

Why hadn’t she considered acting surprised, playing it cool? What was Daniel up to? “He told you the truth. I’m not a threat to Noah’s cover.”

“I didn’t ask your opinion.” Catwoman paced. “McCray thinks the relationship is a strategic layer in Noah’s cover.” She huffed. “He doesn’t know Noah as well as I do.” She spun to face Maddison. “Did he tell you or did you figure it out?”

“He told me.”

“Which means he’s losing objectivity. I should liquidate you now.”

“But then you’d have to answer to Noah. I don’t think you want that.”

Catwoman growled but made no move toward her. “I don’t want Noah in any more hot water with McCray either. And you aren’t making that easy, distracting him from his mission.” Her eyes narrowed. “He’s good at his job, but no one’s bulletproof. He needs my help.”

Her impassioned tone clicked like a puzzle piece into place beside the one labeled
aggressive behavior
. Maddison could just decipher the picture—the liquidator was jealous.

She stamped down the triumphant smile. Envy made the woman more dangerous. “I haven’t been distracting him.”

A frozen smile appeared on the liquidator’s face. “Of course you have. You have to know that, don’t you?” She took a step forward, raking her eyes over Maddison again. “You’re a distraction to fill his time here, but when the mission’s done, he’ll move on. Why wouldn’t he?” She gestured to herself. “When he could settle down with someone genetically superior like me?”

Maddison bit her tongue, tasted the copper slipperiness of her blood.

“But let’s put logic aside for a moment, and talk legalities. Even if he doesn’t settle down with me, Noah won’t marry you.” Catwoman shook her head. “And you, my pet, should already know why. He may be a liquidator, but no one’s exempt from the marriage statute. He’ll marry a member of the Elite, or if he’s slumming, someone from Class Two. But you? Class Four?” Her smile turned menacing. “It’s forbidden.”

The world stood still. How could she have forgotten? Her fingers clasped the ring lying on her heart. It should mean something. It should matter.

“See, you can’t deny it. So, I’m going to do everyone a favor.” She backed Maddison up against the wall. “You are going to stay away from Noah. I don’t care what it takes, but you leave him alone and make sure he does the same. He needs to focus on hunting down the terrorists McCray sent him here to find.” She ran a finger down Maddison’s cheek. “And if you don’t, I’ll liquidate you and your family, starting with that promising little brother of yours.” Backing away, she released the emergency stop, and they lurched downward. “Understand?”

Maddison could only nod.

The doors opened with a ding, and the smile on the liquidator’s face became even more predatory. “Good. Nice meeting you, Maddison.”

*

The outer door swung open. Noah froze. Until he picked up the faint whiff of leather and whiskey. He rubbed the towel through his hair one last time and threw it in the sink. “How did you get in here?”

“It’s a perk.”

“I thought I made my position clear.” He grabbed a brown knit shirt from its hanger and walked out of the bathroom.

Daniel leaned against the bed’s headboard, flipping through one of Noah’s books. “Is Maddison working at the hospital today?”

Noah froze mid-motion, shirt clenched in his fist. “Why?”

“Guess who paid me a visit today.” Daniel waited several beats for a response. “What? Not interested?” He rolled his eyes. “Oh, all right, I’ll tell you. It was Callista, and we had the most interesting conversation. She had tons of questions about you and Maddison.” He gave Noah a pointed look over the Steinbeck. “Anyway, you know how delusional Callista is about you. I told her Maddison couldn’t be classified as a threat, but she had that huntress look in her eye. I don’t think she listened.”

Noah tugged the knit over his head and punched his arms through the sleeves, starting toward his vidcom across the room. “Why didn’t you call? She has a head start on me now.” Something cold coiled in his gut.

Daniel sat up. “Yell at me later. Put your shoes on so we can get out of here.”

Noah growled and stomped into his boots before grabbing his keys and heading for the door. He swung it open and almost knocked Maddison over.

“Maddison.” He crushed her to his chest and dragged her back inside, slamming the door with his foot. The breath rushed out of his chest. She was here. She was okay.

“You’re crushing her air supply.” The evenness of Daniel’s comment embodied disinterest.

He loosened his grip. She shook in his arms. “Are you okay? Did I hurt you?” He led her over to the bed where she sank down, trembling like a frightened swallow.

Her gaze found Daniel, who lounged against the wall. “She came.”

Noah froze. Beside him, Daniel became a statue.

“What happened?” Noah asked.

“Callista? At least I think that’s who she was.” Maddison folded her arms around herself.

Noah slipped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. “Tall with dark hair and eyes?”

Maddison nodded. “She’s obsessed with you.” Another round of tremors passed through Maddison, and her teeth chattered.

Daniel came around and sat in the chair across from them, all seriousness. “She really got to you, didn’t she?” Maddison managed another small nod. His face hardened and he raised his eyes to Noah’s. “She’s in shock, pull the blanket around her. You need to get her warmed up.”

Noah stood up to pull at the bed covering. She clutched at his hand, and her breathing became more erratic. In seconds, he wrapped her up and sat back down, pulling her into his lap.

“You’re safe now. Hear me, Maddison? You’re safe.” He took deliberate breaths, inhaling and exhaling at a normal rhythm, and rubbed a hand up and down her back.

After several moments, her breathing matched his, bringing the color back to her cheeks and causing the shaking to lessen.

“I’m sorry.” Her voice regained some of its normal confidence. “I don’t know why I let her get to me.”

Noah brushed a hand through her hair. “What did she threaten?”

“To kill us if I didn’t stay away from you.”

A growl escaped from deep within him. “Where did she go?”

“Hold on.” Daniel raised a hand in warning. “Hear the whole story, so you know what you’re dealing with.” He addressed Maddison. “Start from the beginning.”

Noah tried to shut off the rage pounding inside him. He needed to tap into detective mode and gather the facts, but the thought of Callista threatening Maddison overrode his senses.

Maddison took a shaky breath. “She figured out I knew. About Noah’s identity, I mean. Because of the way you phrased your warning. I confirmed her suspicions without realizing it. She wants me dead more than you do.” Her gaze shot up to Noah’s. “She
likes
you. In fact, she thinks she’s protecting you, just looking for an excuse to liquidate me.”

The blood roared through his veins. “She’s not going to get the chance.”

Maddison’s hand shot up to grasp his arm. “What if she knows I came here? What if she follows through with it?” Her breathing quickened. “She said she’d start with Jakob.”

“I’m going to make sure she can’t follow through on anything.”

But he couldn’t take Maddison with him. Or leave her alone. Only one option existed. He stared at Daniel. His brother didn’t break eye contact. Noah took a deep breath and stepped out on the proverbial limb. “I need to take care of this situation, but Maddison and her family shouldn’t be left alone tonight. Take her home and stay with them until I get there?”

Daniel stood. No snarky comeback.

“I’m serious, Daniel.”

“I heard you. Go on.”

He looked down at Maddison. “It’s going to be all right. I promise.”

“Okay.”

He kissed her temple and ran a hand through her hair one last time. Releasing her, he stood and pulled her to her feet. “I’ll be at the house as soon as I can.”

The other two nodded. He curbed the rage with his training, beating the emotion into a useful weapon as he pulled open his bag and found his ring. Daniel took a step forward. “Don’t do anything stupid.”

“I won’t, but she has to know I’m serious. This ends tonight.” He headed for the door but turned back to catch Maddison’s gaze another time. “See you soon.”

She managed a small smile. “Soon.”

As the door swung shut, Daniel said, “So, Maddison, have you ever ridden a motorcycle before?”

Chapter Twenty-Six

M
addison turned away
from the open screen door and headed back to the blackened cookie sheet in the sink. The acrid smell of smoke wafted throughout the kitchen.

She hadn’t even heard the oven timer. Too many distractions—Callista, the looming deadline, the marriage statute and her and Noah’s lack of a future. And she had three days’ worth of ruined baked goods to prove it. She scraped the burnt remains off the cool pan then watched the running water sweep them down the drain.

“Don’t you know it’s not safe to leave doors wide open considering the Area’s political climate?”

She spun and found herself feet away from Callista, who slid the door shut behind her. The spatula clattered to the floor, sending water droplets flying.

“I’m on my way out of town, but I decided to make time for a quick visit with you first. Don’t you feel flattered?”

Maddison raced for the front door. The liquidator flashed in front of her, blocking her path and forcing her to slam to a stop.

“Where do you think you’re going? I took time out of my very busy schedule to come all the way over here for a chat, and now you’re not being a very accommodating hostess.” She took several more steps forward, and Maddison backed away and around the couch. Callista gestured to a chair. “Why don’t you sit, Maddison?”

“I think I’ll stand.” She straightened her shoulders and resisted the urge to wrap her arms around herself.

“Your choice.” Callista replied in the same taunting tone. “Do you mind if I do? No? Good.” Settling on the arm of the couch, she blocked the one clear exit to the kitchen or the stairs.

“Why are you here?” Maddison’s left hand flew to the ring around her neck. Praying somehow Noah would sense the trouble and come. But he was on duty, and Taylor had been called in today for a mandated shift. Jakob would be at baseball practice for two more hours. Her vidcom sat on the dresser in her room. There would be no rescue.

“Do you know the term the Elite use for those who don’t obey?” Callista’s eyes glazed over with hatred. When she spoke again, her low voice sent a tremor down Maddison’s spine. “We call them traitors, enemies of the state, but you already know that. It’s written on your parents’ graves. Oh, wait, they didn’t deserve graves.”

Rage bubbled up inside Maddison. “Don’t talk about them.”

“Oh, I’ll talk about whomever I want. Because I am the one in control here. I am a chosen member of the Elite. My directives are to be obeyed. And if they aren’t, I have the authority and the responsibility to liquidate you.” She stood up and took two slinking steps toward Maddison, the predator cornering her prey. “Having a liquidator boyfriend doesn’t exclude you from the rules. You, unlike me, are no one special. If you’d stayed away from Noah, I wouldn’t be here today.”

She pressed closer, backing Maddison up against the wall. Nowhere to go.

Stepping back, Callista surveyed her. “I don’t know what he sees in you, but that won’t matter after today. Someone needs to step in before he puts himself in jeopardy, and if Daniel won’t do it, I will. Once you’re gone, he’ll focus on his mission. He’ll remember who he is, and he’ll make McCray happy. And I’ll be with him every step of the way to make sure of it.”

Maddison clutched the necklace tighter and inhaled a deep breath. If Callista planned to kill her, she might as well have her say. “You’re wrong. Because if you really knew Noah, you’d know that being a council-pleasing liquidator has never been a priority of his. He doesn’t want your future. And he doesn’t want you.”

“If that were true, I’d be dead right now.” Callista ran a finger along Maddison’s jaw. Dropped her hand to Maddison’s neck. “But I’m not, so I guess you are.” She began to squeeze, forcing Maddison’s windpipe closed.

Maddison clawed at the hand and kicked to no avail. Her head spun. Need oxygen. Now. The edges of her sight darkened. Suddenly the pressure was ripped away from her throat. Falling to her knees, she blinked several times. The room swayed back and forth like a pendulum. Now two black clad figures danced in the living room.

“How did you get in?” Callista screeched from across the room, in a boxer’s stance.

“The glass door. You didn’t lock it behind yourself. Sloppy, sloppy.” Daniel’s back faced Maddison, but she could hear the smirk in his voice.

Callista growled and lunged toward Maddison, but Daniel anticipated the move and used her momentum to spin her into the wall on the other side of him, trapping her with his arm against her chest.

“Let me at her.” Callista spit the words at him. “She’s not worth it. You know it.”

Daniel didn’t even glance back at Maddison where she cowered by the couch, wheezing and coughing, hoping he didn’t agree.

“Get past me first.” He leaned into his captive’s face. “Come on, Psycho Stalker, I haven’t liquidated anybody in days.”

She screamed and pushed him off, her fist flying toward his face. He ducked, his own expression terrifyingly blank. When he retaliated, bone shattered. Callista spewed curses at him. Maddison’s eyes couldn’t track their lightning-fast movements, but she felt the effects—the coffee table crashed to the floor when Callista threw Daniel into it, the walls shuddered when he kicked her into one. Plaster fell from the place her head hit. A vase shattered against the mantel, inches from his face.

Maddison’s feet were rooted to the floor. She wanted to run upstairs and grab her vidcom or put her head between her knees and wait for the earthquake to pass, but she couldn’t tear her eyes away from Daniel. If she moved, he could lose his focus and Callista would gain the upper hand. He seemed to expect each of Callista’s moves, buoying Maddison’s hopes.

Until a glint of metal caught her eye.

Daniel dodged the knife and grabbed a broken plank from the coffee table. Callista dove forward, and blood appeared on Daniel’s neck.

No.
Time slowed down. Callista couldn’t kill him. If she won … Maddison shrank back against the couch, willing Daniel to win. His eyes connected with hers.

He struck. Another sharp crack and Callista howled in pain. The knife fell to the ground. His hands flashed. The snap of her neck echoed throughout the room. She crumbled to the floor.

Maddison could only stare at the body in front of her, shocked beyond belief. Relief crashed over her.

Daniel stepped over Callista’s body. “Come on.” He put an arm around Maddison’s shoulders and guided her into the kitchen.

Her eyes lingered on the dead body behind them. Once around the corner, he released her, and she fell back against the island. His hands came around her face, forcing her to look at him.

“How much does it hurt to breathe?”

“She … You …” The room spun under her feet, and the world went black.

When she woke up, she lay on her bed, a wet hand towel against her forehead. Daniel leaned against the opposite wall, no trace of blood on him. “Don’t sit up. I think you’d better let your body get its bearings first.”

Her hand flew to the dripping towel, pulling it off and dropping it on the floor. “Did you carry me up here? How long was I out? Is she…?”

“Yes. A couple of minutes. And yes.”

“How did you know?” She pushed up to a sitting position. He studied her. It made her nervous.

“I’ve been following her.”

“You’ve been … Wait, her signal … How long until the response team gets here?”

“They don’t know she’s dead.” He picked a snow globe up off the dresser, turning it around in his hands like a baseball. “I disabled her chip last night.”

“How?” It hurt to talk. The question came out with a rasp.

He passed the globe back and forth in his hands. “Let’s just say I’m awesome like that.”

But if he’d disabled her chip last night… “How long have you been planning to kill her?”

“Generally? Nine months. Specifically? Since Noah waved her off the other day.” He threw the globe up in the air, following it with his eyes until it landed in his hand again. “I warned Noah months ago that she was unhinged. I told him it was only a matter of time before she realized he was never going to go for her, and when that happened? Well, you’ve heard the saying about a woman scorned and all.”

The globe flew up in the air, down into his hands. “When he delivered his warning, he essentially picked you over her. So I had to kill her.”

“Why did you stop her?” She swallowed hard. “It would’ve made life easier for you. To let her kill me first. We both know you want me dead. And I haven’t given you any reason to change your mind.”

“You’re important to Noah.”

But that hadn’t mattered when he’d threatened to kill her himself. “Well, thank you.”

He rolled his eyes. Someone pounded on the front door. He set the globe down on her dresser. “That’ll be Noah, I suppose.”

She shot him a perplexed look, and he continued. “I called and left a message for him after you fainted. You know, it’s a good thing he doesn’t need his job at the hospital ’cause he seems to miss a lot of work because of you.” He headed out the door but called back, “And contrary to popular opinion, I haven’t wanted you dead in weeks.”

A strangled cough escaped.

Downstairs she heard Noah’s frantic voice asking about her and what had happened. Daniel’s version seemed short on details, so she swung her legs off the bed and headed for the door. The room tilted a little to the right. She held her left hand out for balance. When she came around the corner, shock at Noah’s appearance rippled through her. His hair stood in every direction, rumpled and jagged. His face was devoid of color.

“I’m here.” Her voice caught and squeaked.

His eyes fixed on her, and within seconds, he’d scaled the stairs and pulled her into his arms. “You’re okay.” He sighed. “You’re okay. You’re okay.” She tightened her arms around his neck, and he lifted her off the ground and crushed her closer.

A cough at the bottom of the stairs drew her attention. Daniel pointed back toward her bedroom. She nodded and released Noah to pull them back toward her room.

Noah sat down on the bed, pulling her against his chest. He dropped frantic kisses on her head. She pulled back to look at his face. Tears swam in his eyes. Reaching up, she laid her palm on his cheek. “Hey, I’m all right.”

She wanted to say more, but he winced when he heard her voice. His hands traced the red flesh of her neck. “Does it hurt to breathe? Or swallow?”

Tilting his face up to hers, she mouthed, “A little. Better soon.”

“Do you need water? To go to the ER? I can call Taylor.” The pace sped up with each question.

She shook her head to all three. “Just you.”

He didn’t wince so much that time, pulling her back to his chest. “I thought my heart stopped beating when I got Daniel’s message from the nurse. It took forever to get here, no matter how fast I drove. I shouldn’t have left you. I’m so sorry.”

“It’s not your fault. You couldn’t have known she wouldn’t heed your warning.”

“Daniel did.”

Daniel’s behavior made no sense, but the calculation behind it terrified her. “Don’t let go, okay?” She threaded her arms around Noah’s waist. “I need you here.” She wanted to tell him how much she’d wanted him earlier, but that would only add to his guilt.

He kissed her forehead again. “I’m not going anywhere.”

And that’s what brought the tears. His presence meant she was safe and unleashed the floodgate of emotion she had attempted to shut off when she first saw Callista. Burying her head in his chest, she let the sobs take control. Hot tears raced down her cheeks and soaked into his scrubs.

He held her closer. One hand came up to cradle her head. “You’re safe. She can’t hurt you. You’re safe with me.” Once her sobs abated, he kissed her forehead one more time and leaned back to look at her neck again. “You should take something to reduce the inflammation and help with the bruising.”

“Does your healing serum work on me too?” she asked with a raised eyebrow.

He chuckled and shook his head. “I think some regular anti-inflammatory will be fine. Bathroom cabinet downstairs, right?” He stood and waited for her nod before leaving. A moment later, he raced back in with several tablets and a glass of water.

“Did you use your super speed just now?”

“Maybe.” He didn’t look a bit chagrined.

It shouldn’t have struck her as funny—not in this moment—but her emotions bubbled so close to the surface. She couldn’t help but let a giggle escape.

*

Noah’s vidcom buzzed once before Daniel’s voice rang out in Maddison’s bedroom. “Pick it up. Now. Quit wasting my time.”

He rolled his eyes, making a mental note to change his password again, and pulled the vidcom out of his pocket. Daniel’s annoyed face appeared on the screen. One lone street lamp in the background shone over his brother and the trash bins around him.

“If anyone asks you in the next twenty-four hours if you’ve heard from Psycho Stalker, you should tell them she said she was headed to the Center to get her chip repaired. That’ll fit with the official record.” A grimace crossed his face as something shuffled along the ground to his right.

“Wait a minute, what did you do with Callista’s body? You didn’t just dump it in an alley, right?”

“Of course I did. We can’t bury her, you idiot. She’ll have to be found because they’re going to notice she’s missing in twelve to eighteen hours. Don’t worry, I removed all traces of my DNA first.” He tilted his head. “Hmm, the rats should help destroy the evidence as well.”

Maddison let out a jagged exhale across the room, but Noah couldn’t tear his attention away from the vidcom, his free hand clenched at his side. Had Daniel lost all respect for humanity? Did he have no fear of God? “You make me sick.”

“Add it to the list of things you judge me for.”

Noah growled.

“Would you rather I’d not killed her? I mean, I assumed you wanted your girlfriend alive. But if I was wrong …”

You’re not sorry. You’re relieved she’s dead.
His head dropped to his chest, eyes sliding shut. He was a horrible person.

Daniel misinterpreted his reaction. “So we’re agreed then. I leave her here. Someone else finds her in a couple days. In the meantime, if anyone asks, we think she’s at the Center.”