Twisted Hope Read online

  Margot wasn’t sure how to reply.

  “Look, I’m not a criminal, not by profession anyway. I made a mistake and got into business with some people who are criminals by profession and if they find out what you did both our lives will be in danger.”

  Margot considered her answer for a second and then said, “I’m under no obligation to run over anything I find to anyone. Including your wife. If she hired for a specific task the only information she has any right to is that specific task.”

  Dithers let out a breath. He looked relieved.

  Before either of them could say anything else Ms. Collins poked her head through the door.

  “There’s someone here to see you. They are very insistent. I can tell them to wait but they really wanted me to tell them they’re here.”

  “I think we’re done here,” Mr. Dithers said.

  “Who’s out there?”

  “Cassandra Cole.”

  He left and Margot followed to see who was waiting in the lobby.

  Standing by Ms. Collins' desk was a woman about Cassandra’s age with a similar sense of fashion but it wasn’t Cassandra.

  “I know,” the young woman told her, “I’m not what you expected but she sent me. She wants to meet you.”

  “She needs to go to the police.”

  “I told her the same thing but she wants to talk to you first. She would have called you but she lost her phone.”

  “I know.”

  The young woman took a folded sheet of paper out of her back pocket and handed it to Margot. Margot unfolded it and found another address on the inside.

  “Is this where Cassandra is?”

  “It’s where she’ll meet you in an hour. She said you have to come alone.”

  “Where is she now?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Then how did you get this address?”

  “She came to my place and asked me to do this and then she left.”

  “Do you have a name?”

  “I do, but I’m going to keep it to myself. I don’t want to be involved in this beyond handing you that piece of paper.”

  “She decided she really wants the interview I promised her?”

  Cassie’s friend replied with a blank look.

  “You know, for her show?”

  Another blank look for a long second before she said, “Oh yeah, the show.”

  “You’re not familiar with Cassie’s show?”

  “Look, I said I’d give you the address and I did that.”

  The young woman turned around and walked out. Margot considered detaining her but decided against it. Instead, she hustled back to the office and grabbed her purse. On the way back to the lobby Margot did the same purse check she did last night even though nothing had changed. Finding all her weapons were in place and ready to go Margot went to the window and watched. If Cassie's friend was fast enough all this would be in vain but she was still in the parking lot talking on the phone.

  After a short conversation, she backed out of her parking spot and turned right.

  Margot ran out the door.

  She was glad Cassie’s friend went right since there was a long stretch of road before she could turn one way or the other. This gave Margot a chance to follow. Even if Cassie’s friend hadn’t drawn a blank on Cassie’s YouTube show, something a trusted friend would surely be familiar with, Margot might not have followed her. With her odd answer, Margot thought she pretty much had to. She had the distinct feeling whatever was going on wasn’t quite what the unnamed young woman said it was.

  She saw Cassie’s friend take another right as Margot got on the road, hit the gas, and made the same turn. She was glad to see Cassie’s friend was still going straight. Margot was able to get within two cars back.

  Since she had her solidly in her sights Margot got out her phone and called Radcliff. She wasn’t surprised when her call went to voicemail. Unfortunately, homicide detectives were busy.

  “Cassie told me to meet her an hour from now at 1414 Surfrider Way unit four. She told me to come alone. I’m headed over there now.”

  She figured Radcliff would ignore the part about coming alone and he and Ames would head over there themselves. She hoped they didn’t scare Cassie away but after last night she decided she was done leaving Radcliff out of the loop when it came to murder investigations.

  If Cassie's friend was telling the truth they might even beat her there. She had no idea where this person lived but figured with an hour to work with she could tail her there and then still have time to reach the rendezvous with Cassie.

  Margot matched Cassie’s friend as she headed west. Margot wondered if she and this young woman lived near each other but she continued farther north once she reached the coastal area.

  Margot watched Cassie’s friend pull into the parking lot of a condominium complex on the coast. It was in a neighborhood that was pretty much the opposite of the condominium Marv owned on the East side of town.

  Margot passed by and started thinking about heading for the rendezvous early when it struck her that she was already there. Cassie's friend was parked at 1414 Surfrider Way. Margot was fairly certain she would be headed up to unit four.

  Margot circled the block just like last night she was looking for the white Buick rented by Mal’s alias Dennis Thorn. Like the night before she didn’t see it. Margot parked and headed inside. On the way to the door, she checked to make sure her purse was open and her gun was within easy reach.

  For a second Margot considered waiting for Radcliff and Ames but she went on. There was a good chance all she’d be doing was talking to Cassie and she figured she could do that long enough for the two of them to arrive.

  Margot reached the door but instead of knocking she stopped and listened.

  She heard Cassie’s friend say, “It’s done.”

  “She’ll be here in an hour?” a voice that didn’t sound much like Cassie at all unless she gained a thick accent and talked like English wasn’t her first language.

  “Yeah, like you said, once I mentioned Cassie she was all over it. She tried to play it cool but she’s going to be here.”

  “You tell her to come alone?”

  “Of course.”

  “Will she?”

  “I think so. I think whoever this Cassie is important to her.”

  “Okay, get out of here. You don’t want to be around for the next part.”

  Margot had a feeling she wouldn’t like the next part either.

  She stepped away from the door and started to head back to her car. This was definitely one where she was going to leave it to the police. If she read it correctly Viuda Negra was waiting inside to kill her. She didn’t really want a re-match for their earlier gunfight.

  She was heading for the door to call Radcliff again when a tall man stepped inside. He was carrying two coffees and what looked like a bag of donuts.

  Margot had never seen him before but he recognized her. He dropped the donuts and the coffee and was yelling, “She’s here,” as he reached behind his back.

  Margot retrieved the gun from her purse before he drew the pistol behind his back and had his chest in her sights before he could bring his gun around.

  “Don’t do it,” she told him.

  He didn’t listen, bringing the gun around and putting it in a two-hand grip. She shot him twice in the chest a second before he pulled the trigger. Taking two slugs made him fire his gun into the ceiling. Margot shot him one more time to be sure.

  While he was falling she turned as the door to unit four swung open. Margot fired two shots that way but did all her damage to the door jamb. She was turning to run but tripped over the dying man in the hall.

  The woman Margot had come to know as Viuda Negra emerged from the room. She had Cassie’s fake friend in front of her like a shield. The fake friend wasn’t happy about it but the woman with the dark hair was too strong for her. She didn’t see Margot on the floor right away and Margot would have had a shot but she
wasn’t willing to put a bullet through the hostage.

  The door to unit two opened and an older woman in workout gear looked into the hall.

  “What the hell is going on?” she asked.

  Margot got to her feet and lunged for the open door without saying a word. The woman tried to close it but Margot was too fast. She lowered her shoulder and went through knocking down the woman.

  Margot kicked the door shut, sat up, and locked it. She was glad she sat up instead of standing as two shots came through the wooden door.

  “Stay down,” Margot told the woman as Viuda Negra shot out the lock and kicked in the door.

  She still was using Cassie’s fake friend so Margot didn’t have a shot.

  “Drop it,” she heard someone shout from the hallway. Margot thought it sounded a lot like Ames.

  Viuda Negra spun and fired toward the voice before she stepped inside the condo. When she spun around her grip around Cassie’s fake friend’s neck loosened enough the young woman was able to pull herself free. Margot pulled her out of the way and raised her gun.

  Viuda Negra wheeled around and brought her pistol to bear on Margot. Like with the man in the hall Margot was just enough quicker to put two bullets in her before she could open fire.

  Viuda Negra stumbled out into the hall. Despite taking a bullet to the shoulder and her chest, and already suffering a wound to her hip from yesterday she was lifting her gun to fire again.

  Margot fired as did whoever was in the hall. Viuda Negra was hit enough times to die three times over.

  “Is that you Margot?” Someone called from the hallway.

  “Radcliff?”

  “Yeah, it’s Ames and I. Are you all right?”

  “Yeah. Glad you could make it,” Margot replied. She looked over to Cassie’s fake friend, “Is there anybody else?”

  She shook her head no.

  “I think we’re all clear.”

  Margot looked down at Cassie’s fake friend and asked, “You alright?”

  “No.”

  “Bleeding?”

  “No.”

  “Then you’re alright enough,” Margot said as Ames and Radcliff came into the room.

  “Who’s she?” Ames asked.

  “Someone you want to arrest.”

  Chapter 10

  “Any word on who they were?” Margot asked after she and Radcliff exchanged the normal telephone pleasantries.

  “Nope, the girl posing as Cassie's friend didn’t know a thing and after talking to her for a while the idea she didn’t know anything became very credible. We didn’t find their fingerprints in the system either.”

  “Was the coffee and donuts guy the driver?”

  “Appears so. We found the car but he must have wiped it down pretty well between jobs.”

  ‘Did he rent the car?”

  “No, the clerk couldn’t identify him which I suppose is the bad news. We showed her a picture of Mal. Looks like besides letting a killer use his brother's condo he rented them a car as well. Though it doesn’t look like he was part of the assassination attempt on you.”

  “That only makes me feel marginally better. Any leads on him?”

  “I should ask you. You’re the only one who’s gotten close.”

  “I’ve got nothing. How about Cassie?”

  “She’s still in the wind as well. Probably smart of her to stay that way. Mal’s still out there and whoever sent those two will send more.”

  “There’s another thing to make me feel better. Any idea who they worked for?”

  “None. We can guess and we’re still combing Cassandra’s shows to see if we can figure out who she might have pissed off and cross-referencing it with who you pissed off.”

  “Seems like Cartel to me.”

  “Except Cassie's work hardly touched on them. She was remarkably local and the cartel likes to keep a low profile on this side of the border. It’s weird to say but maybe it’s someone else.”

  “Like who?”

  “I was hoping you could tell me.”

  “I wish I could.”

  “Keep thinking. I’ve got to go. Are we on for dinner or do you have to tail and husband with a wandering eye tonight?”

  “No bad husbands tonight. See you after work?”

  “Sounds great.”

  Radcliff ended the call and Margot went back to trolling for insurance fraud. Her phone buzzed again and Margot answered without looking at the number since it wasn’t unusual for Radcliff to call her right back since he occasionally forgot to tell her something.

  Instead of Radcliff’s voice, she heard Mal’s.

  “Why did you give me up?”

  “Is this Mal?”

  “You rat out someone else this week?”

  “Are you serious?”

  “Seems a serious question. I never pictured you giving me up to the cops even if you’re fucking one of them.”

  “What are you talking about Mal?”

  “You gave up Marv’s condo to the boyfriend and his asshole partner. I could have been there and if I had been I’d be in jail right now. I know we have our differences, Margot, but I never saw you doing me like that.”

  “Doing you like that? I never figured you’d be helping people executing innocent people. I really never figured you’d be helping someone looking to execute me.”

  “I just got the car as a favor. I didn’t know what they were going to do with it.”

  “You knew they weren’t using it to pick up groceries.”

  “I just do what I’m told.”

  “Including letting a couple of murderers use your brother's place?”

  “You asking me or telling me?”

  “How about you tell me who they were?”

  “I just rented a car.”

  “If all you did was rent the car maybe you need to come in. They were looking for you before and now they’re really looking for you. Let me bring you in, I’ve got good lawyers that will take your case and it will look good if you get out ahead of it.”

  “I’m going to pass and take my chances. If it pays off it’ll be worth it.”

  “You worked in law enforcement long enough to know that’s bullshit.”

  “Have I?”

  “Come on, you know this isn’t going to end well.”

  “Look Margot I didn’t call you to argue.”

  “Then why did you call?”

  “I’ve known you too long and too well not to give you fair warning.”

  “Fair warning?”

  “The gloves are off Margot. I would have done everything in my power not to let you get hurt but after you brought the cops to Marv’s condo I don’t think you’re returning the favor.”

  “I’m trying to save your life.”

  “I don’t see it that way. Stay out of my way Margot. If you insist on getting in my business I’m going to treat you like anyone else who gets in my way using whatever measure I need to take.”

  “Are you threatening me? Mal?”

  “I’m just telling you how it is. Do us both a favor and don’t make it necessary.”

  Mal ended the call before she could respond.

  Description

  Margot finds herself in the crosshairs of the police again as YouTube crime reporter Cassandra Cole’s roommate is murdered. It is believed the target was Cassie and because of Margot’s conflicts with Cassie in the past, she’s bound to be a suspect. Even though her homicide detective boyfriend, Rick Radcliff, and his often hostile partner, Ames, tell her to stay out of the investigation Cassie finds herself pursuing some leads even though some of them lead back to her ex-boyfriend, disgraced cop Mal Flynn. She finds Cassie might not be the mysterious assassin’s only target and the threat may extend to Margot as well.

  Margot finds herself in the crosshairs with the police once again.

  YouTube crime reporter Cassandra Cole’s roommate is murdered. Police believe that Cassie was the target and Margot had a hand in it.

  Investigation
s point to the fact that Cassie might not be the mysterious assassin’s only target and the threat may extend to Margot as well.

  Even though there’s evidence that leads to her ex-boyfriend, disgraced cop Mal Flynn, Margot hopes that she is wrong.

  Unless she acts fast her and Cassie’s life is at the mercy of a ruthless killer.