Revealing Silver (16 page)

“Where are you taking us?” Olivia asked.

“Keep your fucking mouth shut, or I’ll find a way to keep it gagged.”

“You’re not going to get away with this. You know that, right? They already know you’ve escaped, and they’re probably canvassing the entire state looking for you.”

“Good thing we’re not in the States any longer.”

Olivia slowly scooted across the dirty floor, the rivets and bits of dirt scratching against the back of her thigh, and settled as closely to Nathan as she could get. Isaac would follow them. Even if he didn’t have jurisdiction or backup, he would follow them.

The next time Gabriel opened the trailer door, it was full dark, and Olivia couldn’t suppress the shivers shaking her frame. She found herself moving closer and closer as they traveled, until she was practically curled around his body, absorbing as much of his warmth as she could before losing it to the metal floor and the falling temperatures. At some point, maybe about an hour before they stopped for good, the driver turned off paved roads, and she spent the next sixty minutes bouncing against the wall and the floor and poor Nathan, new bruises springing up across her arms, legs, and ribs. Olivia was going to make him pray for each bruise. She wasn’t sure how yet, especially since he seemed to have the advantage in every way, but she would. She wouldn’t let Isaac or Nathan have the satisfaction.

Olivia had no choice but to let Gabriel drag her out of the back of the trailer. This time, her legs were completely numb, and she was forced to lean on him as much as she could as he dragged her into a building not much bigger than the rest stop had been. At least it didn’t look quite so disgusting or abandoned. The door and windows were intact. The driver produced a key from his pocket, fitting into the lock smoothly. Like he’d done it a million times before. This must have been one of Gabriel’s commonly used safe houses. Which probably meant nobody in Los Angeles even knew it existed. From the front door, everything looked more or less normal, like a family of two parents, a kid, and a dog lived here during the day, only sent away at night when Gabriel demanded the space for his own devious tasks.

“Nice place you got here.”

“I like a bit of comfort,” Gabriel said, shutting the door behind them. She tried not to jump when she heard the lock click. “If you’ll follow me.”

Olivia didn’t know him well enough to be able to read his moods, but the angry, violent man from their earlier encounter seemed to be gone. Of course, that anger was never gone. He’d only learned to mask it when it was convenient to him. That was a reason his reputation was so fearsome, and Olivia knew that mostly had to do with the contrast between his calm demeanor and short temper. She only needed to think of Isaac’s description of what happened when they staged their rescue attempt of Nathan to remind her of it. He could shoot her without thinking twice. He could shoot any of them without batting an eye. That knowledge made his smile—which was clearly meant to be disarming—all the more skin-crawling. Just looking at it made her feel tarnished somehow.

“Frank, I think I need some time alone with the detective. Take Pierce downstairs, will you?”

“Wait.” Olivia struggled against the grip on her arm. “I won’t cooperate if you do.”

“You’ll cooperate,” Gabriel said indifferently.

“Stop it. We have something you want. Is this the way to treat the only person who knows where the Silver Maiden is?”

“You mean the coins?” He laughed. “I have them myself, you silly girl.”

Olivia knew he’d already taken hers, but her alarmed gaze flew to Nathan’s face, silently confirming. “How?”

“Apparently you both have developed an unhealthy attachment to them. I found what I was looking for in his pocket while you were both unconscious.”

For the first time since the ordeal started, Olivia felt hope desert her. Yes, Isaac might have been on his way, but what possible reason did Gabriel have not to kill them? He had the coins now. That was all he wanted. He wouldn’t cut any deals, show any mercy, or otherwise behave rationally if they didn’t have anything to hold over his head. Nathan’s face collapsed, and she saw the same death of hope in his eyes.

“I’m sorry.”

Olivia couldn’t respond. She didn’t even have the time to summon a “We’ll be alright” before Frank was dragging him out of the room, leaving her alone with Gabriel.

“Have a seat.” Gabriel spun her around, tugging at the rope. It dug deeply into her wrists before he finally unknotted it. He tossed the thick rope aside indifferently. “You must be exhausted.”

She rolled her shoulders, but her arms were completely stiff from being tied for hours in the same position. She wiggled her numb fingers, hoping to work some feeling back into the digits. Her back tightened as she sat, threatening to spasm at any second, but with Gabriel standing so close, she didn’t dare do anything but sit straight and still.

“I’m afraid we got off on the wrong foot. Believe it or not, Olivia, I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Oh, we’re on a first-name basis now, are we?”

“I think our relationship has reached that stage, yes.” Gabriel sat down beside her, draping his arm on the couch behind her shoulders and leaning forward. He didn’t touch her. Not quite. But the message was still loud and clear. Olivia did her best impression of a frightened rabbit, remaining motionless in the underbrush, waiting for the shadow of the hawk to disappear. “I think we could have a very special relationship.”

“No, we can’t. In fact, we don’t have any relationship. I’m not sure why you decided to focus your delusions on me, but I’m not interested.”

“It wasn’t my decision.”

Olivia sighed. “Let me guess. Fate?”

“Of course. I’ve always been the one meant to resurrect the Silver Maiden, and to think, there was a Keeper in my city, under my nose, the whole time. I kept them safe for you, but you have such a strong connection to her. The priestesses are born, but you were chosen.” Gabriel slid closer, tilted his head toward her hair, and inhaled deeply. “I can smell the coins. I can smell that you’ve used them.”

“Um, well, why don’t you let me take a shower?”

“You can’t wash it away, Olivia. You can’t wash your hands of what this means.”

“What this means? What are you talking about?”

“You arrive as I find evidence my cousin has betrayed me. You’ve lived in L.A. all this time. You know Remy. You, out of all people, find the missing coin. How did you find it? I’m dying to know.”

“I…I went with Isaac on a response. There was an arson. And I just saw it.”

“Of course you did. Because it was waiting for you. Because it’s the two of us who were meant to awaken the Silver Maiden.”

“What do you mean? Gabriel, I’m sorry, but I don’t know what you’re talking about at all. I’ve used the coin once or twice to try to find Remy, but other than that, I don’t know anything.” Olivia pitched her voice to sound both helpless and interested.

“From the moment I learned that my family descended from the Silver Maiden, I knew that I was the one meant to restore her to the Earth.”

“But wasn’t she a slave?”

“In one life. The goddess has visited in many incarnations. But nobody has induced her to return.”

“Why do you want her to return? Will she give you more power?”

Gabriel actually looked offended at the question. “I love her. Why else would I want her to return?”

“Is that why you took the girls? What do you need to do? Are you sacrificing them to the Silver Maiden?”

Gabriel’s face darkened. “Of course not. The Silver Maiden will only return when her coven has been fully restored to its rightful place and the priestesses once again control the coins. Both coins.”

“If that’s the case, then why did Stacy have her throat cut when we found her? Why was Sophe murdered?”

“Because that
puta
betrayed me. I found the freezer you were looking for.”

“In the warehouse?”

“Yes. And now you’re going to stop her before she can do any more damage. I spent ten years searching for those girls, preparing for this time. I will not have her destroy all my hard work now that everything is within my grasp.”

Olivia swallowed. “What do you need me for then? You have both of the coins. You know where you sent her. Go back and get her.”

“I can’t. I worship the Silver Maiden and would happily give her my life, but I don’t have the ability to use the coins. I’m unable to travel back in time.”

“Then why send the girls back there at all? Weren’t you worried something like this might happen?”

“Once the Silver Maiden returns, time will become meaningless.”

“But if the return of the Silver Maiden is so wonderful, why is Marisol trying to stop it?” Olivia asked.

“That’s what I intend to find out. Those girls are valuable. More valuable than you could ever imagine. I will not stand by and let her destroy them. Or destroy me. And that’s where you come in. I’m going to send you to where Marisol is with your coin. I’ll show you the rituals she used to send the girls back and how to come back again. If you return without Marisol, I’ll kill Pierce and McGuire. If you don’t return within twenty-four hours, I’ll kill Pierce and McGuire. If you don’t return at all, I’ll target your entire family. Do you understand me?”

Olivia could do nothing but nod. She didn’t quite understand how they were going to accomplish her jumping through time, but once she was in 2000 she’d be able to find Remy. Remy might already be tracking Marisol, which would make her job much easier. She would do as Gabriel instructed. She would absolutely bring Marisol back to this time and place, but before she did, she’d make sure each one of those valuable girls were brought back to their proper time and placed out of Gabriel’s reach.

“It will take me some time to complete all the necessary preparations.” Gabriel slid closer, his arm going around her shoulders like a vise. Olivia stiffened, her breath lodging in her chest as Gabriel leaned closer. “I will let you rest.”

“Thank…thank you.”

“But make no mistake, Olivia. Once you return and Marisol is dealt with, my plans will continue.”

“I…”

“All of them. You belong to me.”

Olivia had quite a few things to say about that, but she saved her breath. Let him think whatever he wanted. Let him think she was meant to be his, that the two of them were meant to resurrect the Silver Maiden, that his goddess would begin her reign on Earth. He could think any crazy thing that made him happy, as long as it distracted him long enough for Olivia to find the means to crush him like a bug.

Remy knew one thing for sure about Marisol. When it came to keeping her shit straight, the bitch knew what she was doing.

Sitting cross-legged on the spare bed in her hotel room, Remy examined the contents of the purse she’d strewn out in front of her. There hadn’t been much; it wasn’t like she’d owned the clutch for months and never emptied it out. No empty gum wrappers, no emergency tampons, not even a Kleenex. What there was, however, gave her hope.

A silver key ring, with two identical keys on it. No markings, nothing to indicate what they might open. Not car keys, though, so that was a good sign.

A pristine business card with a single name across the front—George Hawkins—and a phone number printed neatly on the back.

A small, spiral-bound notepad with several pages filled. Everything was in Spanish, which meant Remy couldn’t read it.

Best of all was a cell phone. Marisol would probably get it disconnected, but that didn’t stop Remy from having the call history. If she gave it to Isaac, he might be able to figure out who and where Marisol had been in contact with.

That’s where Remy got stumped. Explaining this to Isaac would be a lot harder than coming up with a cover story about the warehouse. Too many people had seen her make a run for it from the restaurant. In the eyes of the law, she was a thief. Isaac’s eyes were another matter, but she wasn’t sure if his interest in her was enough to overcome what was sure to be disbelief about her story. Her other option was an anonymous tip, but that would get her shuffled to the bottom of his priorities. She had to be the one to present the evidence if she wanted it addressed swiftly.

The knock at the door startled her. Remy’s head snapped up, and her pulse quickened as she stared at the chain she kept on when she was in. Nobody but Isaac knew she was here. He would’ve called before just crashing, wouldn’t he?

Fuck, what if Marisol had pressed charges? Isaac would know it was Remy from the description.

Scrambling off the bed, she swept the purse’s contents into the top drawer of the nightstand, pulling the Bible on top of them to hide them. The clutch ended up shoved beneath the mattress. She took a deep breath and crept to the door, stopping without touching it to peer through the peephole.

At first, Remy didn’t recognize her visitor. Either because of the shadows obscuring half her face, or because her brain simply refused to register something so impossible. She lifted her hand to knock again, this time leaning into the light to give Remy a perfectly clear view of her bruised face.

“Remy? Are you in there?”

The use of her real name had her scrambling to slide the chain off and yank the door open. Without uttering a word, Remy reached out and grabbed Olivia’s wrist, pulling her inside.

“Finally, somebody who knows what the fuck is going on. Is Nate with you? Or Isaac? Jesus, you look like shit. Did the coin do that to you when you used it?” Her eyes widened. “Marisol, right? You had to fight to get away. I’m sorry, if I knew she’d dragged you back with her—”

Olivia started shaking her head as soon as the first words came out of Remy’s mouth. “I’m here alone.” She pulled free of Remy’s grip and sank onto the bed, sagging like a deflated balloon. “It wasn’t Marisol, it was Gabriel. He did this.”

Ice ran through Remy’s veins, freezing her in place. So this was what pure fear felt like. “Gabriel? So…the guys couldn’t stop him?”

Olivia covered her face with both hands and took a shaky breath. “No, we stopped him the day you disappeared. But apparently no prison can hold him.” She looked up again, exhaustion darkening her eyes. “He escaped. He was able to get the drop on us before we even knew he was out.”

“Us? You mean, you and Isaac, you and Nate, all three of you, what?” As awful as she knew it was, she wished in this one case, Nathan had stayed out of it and let Isaac and Olivia do their cop thing. Because if he hadn’t made it through with Olivia, what was the point of trying to get back home at all?

“Isaac remembered the statement you gave, which pointed us to the warehouse. Nathan and I went to investigate, and apparently Gabriel was doing his own investigation at the time. I don’t even know if Isaac realizes we’re missing yet.”