Lethal Justice Read online

  Kathryn stomped about the room. “You know what, I don’t know if I want to forget it. Isabelle says I’m mean. Yoko thinks I’m some kind of ogre. You think I let you down. Nikki…straddles the fence. Don’t look so pained, Nikki. I see the way you look at me. I don’t quite fit your genteel group of friends. I’m rough around the edges, I say what I think. I have a very unladylike job, I drive a fucking eighteen wheeler and I swear. Guess what, that’s who I am. I never judged any of you. I resent…I resent this…this discussion. That goes for you, too, Charles!” Kathryn bellowed. “Wait a minute! As long as I’m venting here, I’d like to know who Nikki’s mysterious source, her convenient mysterious source is. I thought we didn’t have secrets when it came to the Sisterhood. What makes her different from the rest of us? I’m not buying that crap anymore. I’m outa here! Come on, Murphy!”

  Myra and Charles could only watch as the others jumped to their feet to follow Kathryn and her barking dog.

  “Oh dear,” Myra said.

  “It was bound to happen sooner or later, Myra. I’ve always found that women are too emotional. Kathryn did make a point when she said she wanted to know who Nikki’s mysterious source is. She’s a very angry lady right now. They’ll work it out among themselves.”

  “Maybe we should intervene,” Myra said.

  “That’s the one thing we shouldn’t do, dear.”

  “You were quite stern, Charles.”

  “Myra, I had to be stern. I wanted to be rip-roaring mad but because they were women, I held my tongue. They were sloppy, they were careless. There is absolutely no excuse for that. It’s the difference between all of us sitting here or sitting in individual jail cells.

  “If you recall, I warned all of you back in the beginning that things you wouldn’t like would happen and also things you wouldn’t agree with. All of you agreed to let me run this show. That’s what I’ve been trying to do with the best interests of all of you as my top priority. If you’re hoping for an apology, old girl, it isn’t going to happen.”

  Myra nodded. “Since I have to sit here, do you think you could put on some silly show so I can laugh? If you don’t, I’m going to cry. Anything but the news will do just fine.”

  “Let’s take this out on the terrace,” Nikki said, opening the kitchen door.

  “Kiss my ass, Nikki Quinn. Don’t ever make the mistake of telling me what to do again. I said I’m leaving and I’m leaving. You go sit on the terrace with all the pretty flowers. Maybe some one will bring you a glass of champagne. Now, get out of my way.”

  “This is ridiculous! Why are we fighting like this? What’s wrong with us?” Isabelle demanded.

  “I said I was sorry, Kathryn. I can’t seem to get past that horror of prison. I didn’t mean to snap and snarl,” Alexis said.

  Yoko laid a tiny hand on Kathryn’s arm. “Please, let’s sit down among the flowers and talk this out. We need you, Kathryn. I need you. I do not know how it happened but you became my role model. You’re the reason I found the courage to change my life. If you leave I will feel like I lost another dear member of my family. We already lost Julia. I would like you to think about that, Kathryn.”

  Kathryn allowed herself to be guided to the terrace, Murphy hugging her knees. The women gathered round in a circle, Kathryn in the middle. A protective circle.

  “This isn’t about us, is it, Kathryn?” Nikki asked softly. “Today is the anniversary of your husband’s death, isn’t it?”

  Kathryn nodded miserably. “I go berserk every year on this date. I owe all of you an apology. Except you, Nikki. I still want to know who your source is. I think we all have a right to know. If you really are one of us, you’re not special. Myra cuts you slack because you’re her adopted daughter. It’s not fair, though. Take a vote, see how the others feel.”

  Nikki looked at the faces staring at her own. She didn’t need to take a vote. Before she spoke, she looked toward the kitchen door. “My source is Jack Emery.”

  No one said a word.

  “I don’t blame you for being speechless. Sometimes I can’t believe it myself. I don’t want Charles or Myra to know. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner but I was hoping you would never need to know. I see now that I was wrong.”

  “Why? How can you trust him?” Isabelle asked softly.

  “I love him. He loves me. When you love someone, you trust them. Who do you think intervened when we went after the National Security Advisor? It was Jack. It was Jack at the cemetery on Isabelle’s mission. We would all be in jail if it wasn’t for Jack. If anyone should leave this organization, it should be me, not Kathryn. I want you to know one thing and I want you to believe me when I tell you, if I had even one little doubt, one suspicion, that he’d turn on us, set us up, I would have acted immediately. He has agreed to continue to help us. We need him.

  “Last night was a perfect example. Maggie Spritzer called him and asked him point blank if he was at the cemetery. Jack has a distinctive voice. She knows what she has on that tape so she needs to be taken care of. We need to get that tape. Without Jack, she would have taken that tape…to God only knows where.

  “I’m trusting you with the love of my life. You, my sisters. This is the time to ask questions if you have any,” Nikki said.

  “Do you really trust this man?” Yoko asked quietly.

  “With my life. With all your lives,” Nikki smiled.

  “Why don’t you want Charles and Myra to know?” Alexis asked.

  Nikki lowered her voice. “Because those operatives of Charles’ almost killed Jack and Ted Robinson. I want this to be our secret. Think of Jack as an added security blanket.”

  “Did you tell him everything?” Kathryn asked

  “Every single little thing. I didn’t leave anything out. He’s on our side.”

  “You must love him very much,” Alexis said.

  “So much I ache when I’m not with him. Some people only love once in their life. I’m one of those people. So is Jack. I can’t explain it any better than that. You, Kathryn, should understand what I’m saying.” Kathryn nodded, her eyes misty.

  “I want to give all of you Jack’s private cell phone number. You can call him anytime if you’re on a mission and get stuck for whatever reason. Contrary to what some of you might believe, I’ve been trying to find a way to tell you about Jack.”

  The women moved closer together, their hands reaching out to each other.

  “Do you want us to go with you, Kathryn?”

  Kathryn didn’t pretend not to understand. “You know what, I think I’d like that. I’d like to introduce you to Alan. I have to stop for some flowers.”

  “Awk! Kathryn, shame on you. We will stop at my nursery. I would be honored to bring the flowers to your husband’s grave site. Let’s go in your truck. I love riding in that big monster.”

  “Okay, let’s go,” Kathryn said.

  In the kitchen, Charles and Myra watched the women as they headed toward Kathryn’s rig, Murphy and Grady racing ahead.

  “Where do you suppose they’re going?” Myra asked.

  “This is just a guess on my part, Myra, but I think they’re going to the cemetery. With a stop at Yoko’s nursery for flowers.”

  “How do you know that?”

  Charles laughed. “My hearing is better than yours and the window is open. I think our little rebellion has been squashed. The air has been cleared for now. It’s a good thing, dear.”

  “Whatever would I do without you and your wisdom?”

  Charles chucked his lady love under the chin. “Let’s hope you never have to find out.”

  It was almost closing time when Kathryn pulled her rig into the parking lot behind Nikki’s offices. All the women and the two dogs scrambled out. “Follow me, we’ll go in the back way and walk up the stairs to my office. We’ll hatch our plan right now and go for it before this thing with Maggie Spritzer grows legs and takes off,” Nikki said.

  The women trooped inside, taking the back entrance off the
parking lot rather than the elevator in the lobby of the front entrance. They followed Nikki up the two flights of stairs to her office. Inside, with the door closed, fresh coffee supplied by Maddie, the office manager, in their hands, they got down to business. “This is how I see it. If any of you have a better idea, feel free to chime in. I’m going to call Maggie right now. Jack gave me her cell phone number. I will invite her here to the office. If she balks at the short notice, I’ll tell her to take a hike. I’ll tell her to be here at seven. It will be dark by 7:30. Alexis, you and Isabelle will break into her apartment. Get in and out as quick as you can. Kathryn, park your rig out of sight. Stake out here in the parking lot. When I turn off the office light that means we’ll be coming down the back stairs. I’ll head to Maddie’s car which is a Ford Mustang. She lives a few blocks away and I know she won’t mind letting me use her car. The Mustang is bright yellow so you can’t miss it. That’s when you snatch Maggie’s backpack and my briefcase and purse, and take off. I’ll call the police and report the theft. It all has to seem real.”

  “I see a problem,” Isabelle said. “Even if it is dark, there’s still light in the parking lot. Spritzer will recognize us.”

  Nikki bit down on her lip. “You’re right, that is a problem. Alexis doesn’t have her Red Bag with her. Wait a minute. Two blocks down, three blocks over, there is a variety store that sells all kinds of junk. One of you has to leave now before they close. Buy a couple of those latex masks kids use at Halloween. Try and get some gloves and maybe something to cover your shoes.”

  “I’ll go. I run five miles every day,” Isabelle said. A moment later, she was gone.

  Nikki licked at her lips and then bit down hard as she picked up the office phone. “I’m using this phone in case she has caller I.D. The minute I hang up, the rest of you leave and wait for Isabelle downstairs. Maggie might smell a set up and get here early. I don’t want anything to make her suspicious. It’s ringing.” Nikki placed her finger over her lip for silence. “Miss Spritzer? This is Nicole Quinn. Jack Emery called and said you would like to speak with me. I’m at the office working late. If you could manage to come by now, I can speak with you. Oh, I’m sorry it’s not convenient. Well, my calender is jammed up till the middle of April. Jack made it sound urgent. Call me the middle of April and I’ll try to fit you in. Oh, you can cancel your dinner plans? I’ll wait for you. The front door to the building is locked at six so come around to the back entrance. Just press the buzzer and I’ll let you in. What? The owner of the building is the one who insists the front doors be locked at six. You know how everything changed after 9/11. This is Washington, D. C. There’s ample parking in the back. Fine, fine. I’ll be expecting you in forty-five minutes.”

  Nikki let out her breath in a loud swoosh. “She’s cagey. Wanted to know why the front door is locked at six. I think she bought it. Get going. She’ll be coming in the south entrance so leave by the north entrance and stash the truck. Call for a cab and get out before you come to her street. Good luck. One more thing. When the mugging goes down, whatever you do, don’t talk.”

  “Gotcha,” Kathryn said, high-fiving Nikki’s outstretched hand. Yoko just giggled. The sound alleviated some of the tension between Nikki’s shoulder blades.

  When the door closed behind the women, Nikki leaned back in her chair. What was Jack going to say when she told him she had blown his cover? What would Maggie Spritzer do when they were mugged? “Well, I guess I’ll find out soon enough,” she murmured to herself.

  Chapter 7

  Nikki applied fresh lipstick and spritzed some of her favorite perfume in the hollow of her throat as she waited for Maggie. While she waited, she allowed her thoughts to wander to Myra and Charles’s trip to Spain. Knowing both of them as well as she did, she knew the trip had a dual purpose. Her stomach muscles started to crunch up when she thought about the second reason for their visit. Charles never did two things if one thing would accomplish his end goal. In this instance, Plan B, in case the authorities ever closed in on them. Plan A was to enlist Anna Ryland de Silva’s help with Alexis’s revenge. Spain was so far away.

  Nikki’s thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the back door buzzer. She walked out to the hallway and the top of the back stairs to push the buzzer that would unlock the door. She was glad to see that it was already dark outside. She watched as Maggie took her time climbing the stairs. At the top, she held out her hand, “Maggie Spritzer. You must be Nicole Quinn. This might be a stupid question but why didn’t you take the Rutledge name when Mrs. Rutledge adopted you?”

  Nikki led the way down the hall to her office. “Because I was born with the name Quinn. Myra left it up to me. Legally, I’m Quinn Rutledge. Why do you ask?”

  “I’m a reporter. We’re a curious lot.”

  Inside her office, Nikki motioned to a nubby oatmeal colored chair. “Would you like some coffee, a soft drink, or some wine?”

  “No, thank you.”

  Nikki sat down and crossed her legs. She waited for the reporter’s first question. She knew how to play the waiting game. At best, she hoped she just looked curious and perplexed at this meeting. When the reporter started to rummage in her backpack, she knew what was coming.

  “I’d like you to listen to this,” Maggie said, setting the mini recorder on the desk, clearly out of Nikki’s reach, and pressing the play button. Nikki listened intently, hoping the curious look stayed on her face. Maggie turned off the recorder and said, “Would you care to comment?”

  “About what? Do you want to sue that person? What is this all about? Do you know the person speaking on the tape?”

  Maggie grimaced. “I know him but not as well as you do. Are you saying you don’t recognize the voice?”

  Nikki just looked puzzled. “Yes, that’s what I’m saying. What makes you think I know that person?”

  Maggie looked smug. “It’s Jack Emery!”

  Nikki reared back in her chair. “No! That’s not Jack. I’d recognize his voice. You’re mistaken. I don’t understand.”

  “Oh, please, let’s not play games here. A voice analysis will prove it’s Jack Emery. He hooked up with you gals out there at Pinewood. I want to join up.”

  Nikki hoped she looked as stupid as she felt. “Let me make sure I understand all this,” she said, waving her hand toward the mini recorder. “You’re telling me Jack Emery has joined our bridge club and now you want to know if you can join. Am I getting this right?”

  Maggie snorted. “I’m not stupid, Miss Quinn. That is Jack Emery’s voice. I recorded him at the cemetery the night that architect was found in an open grave. He helped those women get away. Those women, your friends. The ones you play…ah…bridge with.”

  Nikki leaned forward. “Are you trying to blackmail me?”

  Maggie also leaned forward. The two women were eyeball to eyeball. She laughed but it wasn’t a pleasant sound. “Blackmail is against the law. I taped District Attorney Emery in court on Monday. The voices match. I asked you if you wanted to comment. I asked if I could join your…your bridge club. How can that be blackmail?”

  “We prefer to keep our bridge club to six members. I don’t agree with you that the voice on the tape sounds like Jack Emery. I don’t go to cemeteries and neither do the members of our bridge club. That’s what you were implying, isn’t it?”

  “No, I’m not implying it. I’m stating it as a fact.”

  “I think you might have a hard time proving an accusation like that. I feel duty bound to warn you that you’re treading very close to libel. I think this meeting is over, Miss Spritzer.” Her insides shaking at the expression on the reporter’s face, Nikki continued, “I would like to give you a piece of free advice. If copies of that tape find themselves in other hands, Mr. Emery will go after you like a dog on the trail of a bitch in heat.”

  “Don’t you worry about this tape. I am going to make copies when I leave here but they won’t be given to anyone until I have all my ducks in a row. You’re right, this
meeting is over.”

  Nikki watched in horror when Maggie picked up the recorder and stuffed it into the pocket of her jacket. Damn, she was supposed to put it in the backpack. She had to call Kathryn and she had to do it now before Maggie hit the parking lot. Nikki snatched the cell phone off her desk and held it in her lap when Spritzer stood up and turned around. She hit the speed dial and raised her voice several decibels to alert Kathryn. “I’ll walk out with you, Miss Spritzer. Just give me a moment to turn off all the lights and lock up. Wait for me in the hallway, please.”

  “Can’t wait to get rid of me, is that it?”

  “I do feel you wasted your time coming here. That tape in your pocket is the silliest thing I ever heard. I want to warn you again, blackmail and libel are a serious business and it can turn into an expensive proposition.”

  Nikki palmed the small cell phone and locked the door to the office. “Damn, I forgot my briefcase. Wait just a minute.” She made a production of unlocking the door and going back inside. She turned on lights as she went along. She gasped into the phone. “She put it in her pocket, Kathryn. Can you hear me?”

  “Yep. We have it covered.”

  At the top of the stairs, Maggie turned around and said. “I always try to play fair, Miss Quinn. I gave you a head’s up. My sense of fair play is appeased.”

  “I’d hate to be you if Jack Emery ever decides to go after you. That’s my sense of fair play kicking in.”

  Nikki opened the door and waited to make sure it closed properly before she headed off to Maddie’s yellow Mustang.

  “Did you hear something?” Maggie called out.

  Nikki stopped, pretended to listen. She looked around. “No. Where’s your car? Do you want me to walk you to your car?”

  “I don’t think that will be necessary. I’m a big girl!”

  They came out of nowhere. Nikki screamed at the top of her lungs and tried to run but one of the masked figures tackled her and she was on the ground. “Get off me! Give me that! Damn you, give me my purse!” Her voice was so shrill it carried all over the parking lot. She risked a glance at where Maggie Spritzer was being shoved up against her Honda.