Read Merchants with Evil Intent Online
Authors: Kerrie DuBrock
Where the hell was Maggie O’Mara?
*
*
*
Having first class tickets had its
advantages. Ya had better seats; better food and ya got to get off first. It
was the only way to fly!
After making her way through customs she
followed the stream of people to the baggage carousel.
She saw a young man with a plaid cap and
red hair holding a white sign that read ‘O’Mara’ in black letters.
Must be a ton of O’Mara’s here
, she
thought to herself. She grabbed her suitcase and looked around for a car rental
desk.
A hand touched her shoulder. She spun
around, the red haired man stood in front of her. He tipped his cap.
“Lass?
Are you Camryn O’Mara?”
Her eyebrows knitted together, “Yeah.”
He grinned, “I’ll be the one you’re
lookin’ for.”
“Excuse me?”
“Where are me manners?” he hit himself in
the head. “Me name is Mickey O’Donovan and I’m your driver.”
“My what?” she questioned.
“Wait a sec, I’ve got the information
right here,” Mickey replied, pulling a piece of paper from his pants pocket.
“Aye, John O’Mara hired me to drive you anywhere you want to go. He also said
that you’ll not put up a fight aboot it,” he said sheepishly.
Camryn smiled, “Who’s fighting?”
*
*
*
Declan caught a brief glimpse of the gel
with the red sunglasses as she walked from the baggage carousel. She
did
look familiar. The slight lilt in
her walk, the color of her bound hair. A Hollywood celebrity he’s seen on the
telly, no doubt; ‘tis probably why she still wore her sunglasses even though it
was one in the morning.
Ah, yes; most definitely a celebrity. She
was lead away by a driver. Too bad he didn’t have a chance to read the name on
the sign.
Still, it was something to tell his ma.
He looked around for Maggie again. He
didn’t see her in the customs line or at the carousel. As Eoghan would say,
that was passing odd.
Think
of the devil and he shall appear,
Declan thought when he spotted Eoghan approaching him.
Eoghan bowed low. “Your carriage awaits
you, my lord.”
“Aw, Eoghan, didja miss me?” Declan
whispered.
Eoghan raised an eyebrow. “Methinks
seeing America has done a world of good for you.”
Declan shrugged, “It has, my friend. I’ve
decided to start living again.”
“In truth?”
Eoghan gasped.
Declan walked towards the exit and nodded
firmly.
“In truth.”
*
*
*
Camille
and Sam peeked around the door, bumping heads doing so. Camille shot Sam an
irritated glare. Waning sunlight filtered through
the
grime stained windows of the warehouse.
She gingerly stepped out and scanned the
area and nodded to Sam, who followed.
Camille scrunched her nose. It smelled
like a combination of urine and oil. Skeletons of old machinery littered the
area. She thought they were in an abandoned machine shop by the looks of it.
Sam poked her. Camille followed the
direction of Sam’s outstretched arm and spotted a door. They ran as quickly as
they could, despite the hindrance clutching the sheets in two places.
The door knob had a simple lock. Camille
turned the lock and then the knob. She breathed a sigh of relief when the knob
turned easily in her hand, then let out an anguished cry when she pulled the
door and it wouldn’t budge.
An effin’ deadbolt blocked their exit.
Camille wanted to scream. She began looking around for something to pry the
door open when Sam called out to her.
“There’s another door over here!”
Camille ran to the other side of the
building and found Sam by a worn out metal door that had eroded by rust and
time.
Sam turned the top lock and glanced at
Camille when she turned the door knob.
The door opened with a loud creak. They
scrambled out of the building and a slow dread filled both of their stomachs.
A barbed wire fence encircled the
building.
Cripes, couldn’t they catch a break?
Camille blew a strand of hair away from
her face and hefted up the sheet covering her. She wasn’t going to get this far
and not get out. Fuck that!
They ran around the yard, looking for a
gate. Camille screamed with delight when she found a section of fencing that
had been cut. “Sam! Over here!”
Camille went through the fence and Sam
followed, but her sheet got caught up in a sharp piece of wire. She worked
feverishly to untangle herself.
Camille huffed in irritation and ripped
the stubborn piece of fabric from the wire. “Let’s get the fuck out of here!”
It was an industrial park and she heard
traffic sounds.
“Come on!” she barked at Sam.
They ran down a pot-holed street, the
sounds of whooshing vehicles sounded like heaven to them both.
They followed the sounds and eventually
saw the movement of cars and trucks.
“Hurry!
We’re so
close!” Camille urged Sam who trailed behind her.
“Jesus Christ!” she huffed and doubled
back to pull Sam along with her.
“Just go! I’ll catch up!” ordered Sam.
Camille hesitated then sprinted towards
the expressway embankment.
She ignored the pain shooting through her
feet as she climbed her way to the guardrail.
Gusts of wind from passing vehicles blew
at her face as she grasped the guardrail. The sweet smell of carbon monoxide!
She
pulled herself over the guardrail and turned, reaching for
Sam’s
hand.
The sight of two women dressed in white
sheets along the expressway caused a four car accident.
Camille smiled grimly and waited for the
Calvary to arrive.
*
*
*
Officer Petty arrived first at the scene.
He expected a four car accident because that was the information he received.
He didn’t expect two women dressed in white sheets. They ran towards him
yelling and waving their arms. Their other hands held a death grip on the sheet
by their chests. He shot them an irritated glance.
“Whoa! You two need to calm down and
explain to me what the hell you’re doing dressed in sheets. ‘Cause if this is
some sort of prank…”
Camille screeched, “We just escaped hell,
you asshole!”
Nick Petty rolled his brown eyes up to
the sky. It was going to be a long night.
*
*
*
While Viktor scanned Camryn’s e-mail his
attention was diverted from the computer to the television. He turned the
volume up.
“We
have breaking news to share. Four of the missing women
have
been found and are being treated at a
nearby hospital. Keep in mind five women were originally reported missing. No
word on the fifth woman and no names have been released. We’ll keep you posted
as more information becomes available.”
“Fuck!” Viktor muttered.
No
time like the present for a little vacation
, Viktor thought as he scanned airfare prices on the
internet. He was glad he saved money for a ring for Camryn. It was going to
cost him a bundle for a damn ticket.
He whipped out his credit card and
secured a ticket. He had little time to pack and get to the airport.
A slight smile etched his face as he
packed his Glock into his suitcase.
*
*
*
Tom McShane was headed down the precinct
stairs for his late afternoon smoke when Detective Joe Butler stopped him.
“Tom, the women have been found.”
“What women?” he barked.
He spoke
slow
enough for a child to comprehend.
“The missing women?”
This only infuriated McShane more.
McShane eyed Butler. Sure Butler was in
his mid-thirties, lean and muscular. Tom thought he could still kick his ass,
especially if he talked to him in that tone again.
“Well? Do I have to beg for more
information?”
Butler counted to ten before replying.
“They were in an abandoned warehouse just outside the city and have been
transported to Community Hospital.
Except for one.”
McShane raised his right eyebrow and Butler continued, “One of the women died.
We don’t know the whole story yet. I’m going to the hospital in a few minutes.”
“I’ll meet you there. Has Brower been
informed?” McShane asked.
“Yes. He’s there now. By the way, have
you seen Orlov? Brower’s been calling around for him and no one has seen him
since yesterday.”
“Nope, but if I do, I’ll let him know to
contact his superior,” McShane replied.
*
*
*
“Lieutenant Brower, Dr. James can see you
now,” a perky blond nurse called out.
Brower put his phone into his jacket
pocket while he followed the nurse down the hallway. The view was pretty good
from his vantage point. The blue scrub pants formed her ass nicely. He started
to ask if she was available after work for a drink when his phone vibrated in
his pocket.
“Brower,” he grumbled into the phone.
“It’s McShane. What have ya got?”
Brower turned away from the hot little
blond, “A hard-on like you wouldn’t believe.”
The nurse waved her hand in front of an
office with a tight smile. Brower smiled at her. “Would you be interested…
”
“Not on a dare,” she hissed, stomping
away.
Brower rolled his eyes to the ceiling and
let out a hard breath.
“Brower?”
McShane yelled.
“Christ! I don’t know anything yet! I’m
meeting with the doctor on duty now. If you’re so interested in what the fuck
is going on get your ass here!” He roared, stuffing his phone into his coat
pocket.
He turned towards the doorway and saw Dr.
James at his desk with another nurse.
This one was a redhead. He liked
redheads.
*
*
*
“Lieutenant Brower, I’m Dr. Michael James
and this is my associate, Dr. Meghan O’Reilly.”
Brower cleared his throat and pulled a
notepad and pen from his pocket. “Dr. James what have you found?”
“We’ve ascertained there’s no evidence of
rape on any of the victims. We’ve also conducted blood tests and are awaiting the
results.”
Dr. O’Reilly continued, “Camille Mayden
appears the most cognizant right now. We’re not quite sure why at this point.
Once the toxicology reports come in we’ll have more information to give you.”