Haunting Whispers (34 page)

Audrey clutched the images and stared into the face of a man she’d seen every day for almost a year—Marc Pearson, one of the mayor’s bodyguards. “Oh, my God. Not Marc. He’s not capable of something like this. I would’ve known.” She realized with a sudden wave of guilt that she
hadn’t
known. She hadn’t picked up anything from her attacker, and she’d never bothered to scan the mayor’s protection detail because they’d been vetted for the job. Audrey simply assumed they were stable, reliable individuals. God, what had she done?

Yasi took the photos from Audrey and looked at them. “I’ve seen this man at our performances. He was there the night of your attack, waiting outside the arena when we left for the bar. You were running behind and we went ahead to get a table. As we walked away, he did too.” Yasi stared at Audrey, her eyes full of regret. “We didn’t wait for you. When we looked later, you’d already gone—It was like you vanished. We searched for months.”

“Yasi, it wasn’t your fault. Forget about that and let’s stop him, now.”

Audrey concentrated on the man inside Rae’s condo, addressing him by name for the first time. “Marc, I know who you are.”

As if reading her mind, Marc Pearson ranted.
“I am Arya, the Noble One. Come to me, Sanjana.”
His intonation was no longer that of the Caucasian male she’d worked with the past twelve months.

Turning to Yasi, Audrey hugged her and kissed her cheeks. “I have to go in. I’ll reason with him to let Rae go. Let’s pray Tony can get inside. When you hear the commotion, call the number I gave you.”

“Be careful, Aud. This isn’t one of our crazy cirque acts. This is for keeps.”

As Audrey walked toward the condo, she tried to imagine what she’d say to the man she’d worked beside for a year but had never really known—a man who had brutally attacked her twice and then taken his rage out on others. Words failed. She summoned her courage and knocked.

When Marc Pearson opened the door, Audrey stared into eyes so dark they appeared soulless. She’d never noticed the unemotional air surrounding him. He’d always seemed professionally detached. She tried to connect with her mind but he blocked her.

“We will speak aloud.”

“Marc—”

“I am
Arya
.” His voice boomed and Audrey recoiled as the door slammed behind her. When he spoke again, he whispered in the lilted foreign accent she remembered. “Don’t be afraid, but you
must
address me properly, Sanjana. I have waited so long for you. Many things have changed, but I will make everything right.”

The fear and pain of that night returned and Audrey felt helpless. His whispered threats were like the knife’s blade slicing through her flesh again. Her breathing quickened and her undergarments clung to the dampness of her skin. Audrey could hear the frustration in his voice and feel the rage of his energy as he moved closer. If all the sensations returned, she’d be incapacitated and unable to help Rae. She forced the images from her mind and pictured herself surrounded by a layer of protection. “Where is Rae?”

Arya turned on her and raised his hand as if to strike. “Your first concern is for
her
?
She
is the one who has defiled you, and
she
must pay.”

Audrey was stunned by the vehement response. Her senses hummed with warning. She fought the urge to run, but Rae needed her. “I’m not worried for her. My concern is for your safety. If she’s here, she could pose a danger.” She forced herself to step closer to him and gaze into his flat, dark eyes. She needed to gain his confidence and see for herself that Rae was still alive. Sometimes feelings weren’t enough, and this time she needed visual confirmation.

“She is harmless,” Arya said. He led the way into the bedroom where Rae lay on her stomach, hog-tied on the floor with a gag over her mouth. When they entered, she struggled against the ropes that had already cut into her arms, her eyes pleading with Audrey to escape. Audrey wanted to go to her immediately but Arya watched for her reaction.

“You’ve done a wonderful job of restraining her. I want her out of here.”

Her response was obviously not what either of them expected. Rae looked at her wide-eyed like she’d lost her mind, and Arya appeared confused. “Why?”

“This is our time, and I want us to be completely alone, undistracted.”

Arya seemed to consider what she’d said but wasn’t convinced. “You let her touch you. I saw you go into her bedroom,
this
bedroom, together. I watched from the window.”

“You didn’t see what happened, did you?” He shook his head. “I couldn’t go through with it. I felt your presence and knew I had to save myself for you.”

“You knew I was watching?”

“We’re connected, surely you know that.” Audrey tried to lie convincingly, though she rejected the bitter words with every ounce of her being.

“Prove you are loyal to me…only me.”

“How?” Audrey shivered to think what he would require of her.

“Tell her and then I will cleanse you in her blood.”

A scream rushed up Audrey’s throat and almost choked her. Visions of the unimaginable flashed through her mind, and with each one her heart ached and her anger grew. She would have to give the performance of her life to save Rae. She forced one foot in front of the other until she stood beside Rae with her back to Arya. When she looked at Rae’s bruised face, she wanted nothing more than to hold and comfort her. Audrey’s energy drained as she made herself remain still. She prayed Rae would forgive her for the egregious lies she was about to tell. Audrey allowed her contrition to wash over her face and burn in her eyes as she began the distasteful delivery.

“I don’t care about you. I never have. There is nothing between us.” Tears pooled in Rae’s eyes, and Audrey willed her to understand. “What you do with women is disgusting. I am not like you.”

Arya smiled and moved closer to Rae as he pulled a serrated knife from his waistband. “And now you will pay for touching my Sanjana.”

“No! Wait.” She pulled Arya into the hallway between the rooms, desperate to put distance between Rae and the menacing knife he held. “I don’t care what you do to her, but you know how sensitive I am. I don’t like seeing people injured. Isn’t there another way?”

Rae strained against the ropes biting into her arms and watched as Audrey lured Marc Pearson into the hallway away from her. The words she’d said burned into Rae like a brand even though Audrey hadn’t meant any of them. Her words relayed one message while her eyes sent an entirely different one. Audrey’s azure gaze infused Rae with the courage to fight.

When she’d woken up in the trunk of her own vehicle, she hadn’t been sure if she’d ever see Audrey again. But this time Marc Pearson, aka the Whisperer, made mistakes. He was so certain of his plan and his ability to escape he hadn’t taken precautions. He hadn’t even searched her properly. Now she knew who he was
and
she was still alive. As long as she drew breath she’d fight.

While Pearson’s back was turned, Rae twisted as much as possible for a better look behind her, then carefully positioned her hands under her feet at precisely the right angle. She would have only one chance to get this right. If she failed, she and Audrey would probably die slow, painful deaths. Rae flexed and extended her right foot until she felt her knife start to slip. Checking her position, she wiggled her foot again and the knife fell cleanly into her hand.

Rae caught Audrey’s gaze and willed her to keep Marc occupied. An almost-imperceptible nod told Rae she understood. Rae turned the knife so it faced away from her body and flicked the blade open. Her skin stung and she felt the sticky blood in her palm. She eased the knife more to the midpoint and sawed at the ropes. The tight bindings limited her range of motion and progress was slow. After several strokes, the first layer gave way and her right hand slid free. It only took a few more passes to release her left.

Rae bent her legs closer to her body and cut them loose as well. She quietly lowered them and let the blood rush back into them. Gradually stinging replaced numbness and she could feel the lower half of her body again. She wanted to stand, but sitting would probably be as far as she got before Pearson detected movement and advanced toward her. She would have to rise and strike in one quick shift.

As Rae started to make her move, Pearson pulled Audrey’s body against his and tried to kiss her. “No!” Rae yelled, and rolled over, trying to right herself. Pearson pushed Audrey aside and lunged toward her.

Audrey screamed, “Now, Tony! Now!”

The ceiling overhead opened up and Tony swung down from the crawl space like a kid on a monkey bar. He kicked Pearson in the back and sent him falling toward Rae. Audrey knocked the knife from his hand and it skidded across the floor. Rae raised her arms in self-defense and heard a crunching sound as he landed on top of her.

Rae’s body ached and a hard object pushed into her chest. She smelled blood and felt its hot stickiness oozing over her. She labored to breathe, white spots of light floated in front of her eyes, and she heard voices close by.

“Rae, are you all right? Oh, God, please be all right.” It was Audrey. Someone rolled Pearson off her. “She’s hurt. There’s blood everywhere. Get help.”

“She looks…” Tony said.

“Don’t even think that.” A heavy pounding sounded in the distance. “Get some medical help,
now
. Oh, Rae.”

Rae blinked and looked into Audrey’s eyes. Tears fell and splashed onto Rae’s face. “I think I’m all right.”

They both turned and looked at Marc Pearson for the first time. Rae’s switchblade protruded from his chest, and his dull eyes stared into nothingness.

Audrey hugged Rae and they rocked back and forth. “I’m so glad you’re okay. I don’t know what I would’ve done if you’d been killed. I love you. Do you hear me, Rae? I love you.”

“And I love you…” Audrey’s confession eclipsed Rae’s relief at being alive. She couldn’t imagine life going forward without her. The swell of love mingled with protectiveness. “What are you doing here? I told you to stay at the hotel with the others.” Her words lacked conviction.

“Now that’s gratitude for you.” Tony stood with his hands on his hips. “As you can see, we’re not at the hotel. We’re here rescuing your ungrateful ass.”

“Tony.” Audrey gave him a reproachful stare.

“No, he’s right. I’m sorry.” As Rae spoke, the rest of Audrey’s cirque family filed in. “I suppose you all had a part in this?” They nodded. “I don’t know how to thank you. Audrey certainly has devoted friends.”

“And you too, Copper,” Melvin added.

“Yep, you’re one of us now,” Yasi said. “An adopted member of the family.”

Rae finally stood and scanned the group. The Whisperer lay dead at her feet, she’d inherited a family, and the woman she loved also loved her. Everything considered it was a great day. “I can’t imagine a better one.”

As Rae reached for her cell phone, Sergeant Sharp and several patrol officers entered the condo. “How did you know—”

Not So looked around the room. “Somebody called and said we’d find a press release about the Whisperer at this address. Obviously they were mistaken.”

“I don’t think so.” She inclined her head toward Marc Pearson’s body. When Rae looked at Audrey, she rolled her eyes and tried her best to act innocent. Rae guided her toward the door where her friends were waiting. “Well done, all of you. Once you’ve given your statements to the officers, you’re free to go.”

“I want to stay with you,” Audrey said. “These guys have to leave for another show.”

“Could you wait at the hotel until I get there? I’ll come as soon as I can.”

“And you’ll never leave me again.” Audrey smiled. “Right?”

“Right.”

Rae’s hand shook as she knocked on the door of Audrey’s hotel suite. Four hours had passed during which Rae tied up loose ends of the case, gave her statement about Pearson’s death, and changed clothes. The adrenaline that had kept her upright and functional for the past few days had evaporated. Only her love for Audrey and the possibility of a life together kept her moving.

Had Audrey professed love in the heat of the moment, thinking Rae was dying, or was she sincere? She knocked tentatively. What awaited her on the other side?

When Audrey opened the door, Rae’s breath caught in her throat. She was undoubtedly in love with Audrey, and she trusted that purely instinctual knowing.

Audrey grabbed Rae’s T-shirt and pulled her inside the room, closing the door behind her. “Stop that.”

“What?”

“Doubting my feelings for you.”

“I thought you couldn’t read my mind.”

“I can’t, darling, but a blind person could see what you’re thinking.” Audrey ran her hands up Rae’s shirt, her fingers like fire against her skin, and kissed her. “Once you’ve told me the rest of the story, I’ll show you how much I meant those three little words.”

Audrey smelled of fresh soap and shampoo. Powder-blue short pajamas clung to wet patches of her curvaceous body. Audrey’s damp hair spiked around her head in its customary disheveled style. Rae’s apprehension evaporated.

“What story?” Her focus had plummeted to a spot well south of her brain. She sought Audrey’s mouth again, hungry for the connection.