The Straight Crimes (31 page)

“Gage—no!” Traci ordered.

He stood back, lined up a second shot, and pulled the trigger. That time he didn’t miss.

The bullet struck Kendall in the middle of her back. Upon impact, she shrieked and collapsed to the cold ground. She cried in anguish and stretched out her shaking hands, desperately attempting to crawl. However, the maid couldn’t move. She couldn’t do anything except cower in fright, watching Gage menacingly approach her.

He trudged through the snow at an unnervingly relaxed place. Hearing her anxious cries sent chills all over his body. He towered over her and stared down at her.

She looked like a wounded bird, helpless squawking for mercy. “Don’t kill me,” Kendall pleaded.

The narcissistic power flowed through the ends of his fingers, watching another helpless victim beg for their life. The control was exhilarating. He was heartless. By then, he’d blocked out all voices of reason and opposition, devoid of all consciousness.

“Be your own person. You don’t have to listen to her,” Kendall reminded him.

“I don’t, I only listen to myself!”

“Prove it!”

“You weren’t part of her plan either!” Without remorse, Gage fired three bullets into Kendall’s chest.

She fell back and slowly faded to her death.

Traci covered her mouth as she approached the alarming scene.

“It’s done.” He ruthlessly motioned towards the ground.

“I said ‘stop her’, not ‘kill her’.”

“It had to be done. She knew too much.”

She feverishly shook her head. “I know, but it shouldn’t have happened, not Kendall.”

Traci buttoned up her shirt and stepped closer. She knelt down, staring at her lifeless face, and carefully closed her baby blue eyes.

Gage scratched his head. “What the hell’s wrong?”

“I don’t know, it’s just different this time,” she whispered.

“Why, ‘cause we didn’t blast her skull?”

“No.” Traci shook her head. While kneeling in the snow, she remembered Kendall’s faithfulness, not only to her, but to Andrea as well. There was a moment of clarity, a brief respite of sadness.

“Why’s it so different?”

“It just is.” Traci let out a heavy breath. Then she quickly dismissed her sorrow. “Now help me up.”

Gage offered his hand, detecting her unusual behavior. “Are you getting soft on me?”

“No, of course not,” she snipped.

“Just making sure.”

She scowled. “Now get rid of her.”

“Where do you want her?”

While looking forward and walking away, Traci pointed to the lake. “There.”

“It’s gonna be hard getting her body to sink with those waves.”

“I don’t care. Make it happen.”

“Aren’t you gonna help?”

“Of course not. Harper will be here any minute.”

“How am I supposed to do it alone?”

“Quit looking at me like you’re helpless. It’s pathetic. Get it done and shut the hell up about it.”

“Then what?”

“Do you have your keys with you?”

“No. They’re on the dresser in the guest room.”

“Of course you don’t. I’ll leave them on the veranda. Then you’ll get in your car and wait on Nik’s street for my word. That’ll give you a head start in case Harper leaves. If she doesn’t cooperate, that’ll give you time to shoot him and escape.”

Gage shivered in his t-shirt. “Shit, can’t I come get something warmer to put on?”

“Are you listening? I’m leaving your keys outside. You’re not to come in. If you mess anything else up, you’ll be next. Got it?”

“Got it,” he grumbled.

Traci nodded. “I’ve gotta go finish dinner. I told Kendall not to burn my steak, but somehow I knew she’d mess it up. Now get rid of her.” A vindictive smile devoured her expressionless face. “The storms that roll in over the big lake are always so unpredictable. It’s such a sha
me…another person lost at ‘sea’.”

Standing at Traci’s front stoop was surreal. Harper pounded on the door while a great deal of uncertainty washed over her. All the overwhelming memories flooded back, making her second guess her actions.

“Damn it, c’mon,” she groaned.

After Kendall didn’t answer for several minutes, Harper grew concerned and let herself inside.

The subtle warmth of the heat against her frozen flesh felt inconceivably comforting, especially after standing in the blowing snow for so long.

“Kendall?” she called as she set her purse down beside the door.

Harper walked through the foyer and ran her fingers through her damp hair, trying to make herself look presentable.

The house was incredibly dark and unsettling, almost ominous in its presentation. All she could hear was the whistling winds thrashing against the windows.

Harper ran her cold hand along the length of the wall until she found a switch.

“Really?” she complained, realizing the power was out.

Then Harper followed a dim glow, an inviting flicker of candlelight coming from the dining room.

Her eyes illuminated at the remarkable spread. Glass stemware sparkled against the reflection of glittery, designer candles. At opposite ends of the table were two place settings of exquisite china and gold-plated silverware.

Along with the décor was a feast fit for a king. The sensational aroma infused her nostrils and made her mouth water.

Never in her life had Harper seen such a beautiful arrangement. It was amazing, she thought, that Kendall would go to so much trouble.

“You like it?” Traci whispered from the shadows.

The voice startled her to death. Harper put her hand to her chest in shock. “Traci?”

“Sorry about the dimness, the power went out. Makes it a little more romantic though, don’t you think?”

Harper ignored the innuendo.

“The table’s quite stunning, isn’t it?” Traci stepped into the light.

“Where’s Kendall?”

“It doesn’t matter. What’s important is that you’re here now.”

“I thought you were in Chicago.”

“Not exactly.”

“So you lied just to get me here?”

“I wanted to surprise you, sweetie.”

“I can’t believe you’d put Kendall up to this.”

“She’s incidental. What’s the matter, don’t you like the surprise?”

“Of course not, it’s all a lie.”

“I wish you wouldn’t keep calling it a lie. It was more like a tiny fib.”

“It was an underhanded lie.”

“Okay, maybe I’d call it a little white lie, but how else was I going to get you here? You ran out and won’t return any of my calls. Do you have any idea how much that hurts?”

“You deserved it.”

“Just have a seat.” Traci pulled out Harper’s chair. Then she sat at the head of the table, looking into her emerald eyes. “Look, I’m tired of being coy. It’s no secret that I want you. I’ve patiently waited and tried giving you the opportunity to come around, but I can’t do it anymore. I’m in love with you, Harper, deeply, madly in love.”

In response, she slapped her forehead.

“My life was so empty and lonely until I met you, but you changed all that. You complete that gaping void I’ve been so desperately trying to fill.”

“No. We’re not doing this again.”

Traci stiffened her posture and reached out for Harper’s hand. “I don’t want to be alone anymore. I need you. C’mon, say you’ll stay with me. This could all be yours. Look at that amazing view.” She motioned to the furious waves, reaching and pulling the shore. “Please, be with me. Look at this magnificent dinner. Think of all the things we could share like expensive wine, long talks, and uncontrollable passion. I can give you everything you need.”

“That’s what you don’t understand, Traci…you can’t.”

“Of course I can. I have so much money you’ll never want for anything.”

“None of those things matter to me.”

“They sure did when you didn’t have a home and no one to turn to.”

“I don’t care if you have all the money in the world. There’s still something you can’t give me.”

“What’s that?”

“Love.”

“Of course I can. I love you. Don’t you see that?”

“Even if you really did, I could never love you back.”

“You don’t mean that.”

“What the hell do I have to say to get through that thick head of yours? I…do…not…love…you. I love Nik.”

Traci reached down for the half-full wine goblet, lifted it in front of her face and swirled it around while her anger stewed. Then without warning, she violently hurled it against the wall. The glass shattered all over the room and pinot noir dripped down like trails of blood.

Harper quickly stepped back, noting the crazed stare in Traci’s eyes.

“You don’t love him! You’re just too stupid to realize he tricked you into thinking you’re straight. Don’t throw it all away, sweetie!”

“Enough.” Harper frowned.

“Do you want to live a life where everyone degrades you because of your sexuality? A man could never love you like a woman could, and society will never accept you.”

“That’s not true. Besides, I don’t care what anyone thinks of us. I ain’t gonna live my life worryin’ about how I’m seen by others, especially not you. That’s no way to live. Wake up, Traci. Life should be about surroundin’ yourself with positive people. That’s why someone as miserable and manipulative as you will end up bein’ alone. I ain’t makin’ your problems mine anymore. I want you outta my life forever.”

“No,” she begged.

“All this crap tonight is beyond crazy. If I were you, I’d be embarrassed. This conversation between us is gettin’ real old and I ain’t playin’ this game with you anymore. When I walk out that door, I ain’t ever comin’ back. Goodbye.”

“Get back here!” she demanded. “I’m speaking to you!”

Harper continued into the foyer and shouted, “I said ‘goodbye’.”

Fueled with rage, Traci soared to her feet and sprinted after Harper. “I’ll give you one last chance. Damn it, don’t walk away from me!” Her trembling hands lifted a gun and fired a bullet through the front window.

Harper immediately dropped to the floor. “What the hell are you doin’?”

“Stay down and shut up!” Traci shouted. Her calm tone vanished. Then she reached into her back pocket and pulled out her second phone. “You still here?” she paused, awaiting a response. “Good, get inside.”

Harper didn’t know what to make of her erratic behavior.

Traci paced back and forth, pounding the small pistol against the palm of her hand.

Harper nervously sat up and stared at Traci. “Can we talk about this?”

“We’ve already talked, remember? You made your point. You’re finished with me, so now I’m gonna finish you.”

Harper’s heart sank. “Please, Traci, be reasonable.”

“Me, be reasonable? All I’ve been is frickin’ reasonable, but all you’ve done is take from me. I gave you more than anyone else could.”

“Yeah, sure.”

“I got you out of that shitty house of yours, didn’t I?”

“Only ‘cause it burnt down, otherwise I wouldn’t have come here.”

“I know,” she sneered. “That’s why I did it.”

It took a second for the words to resonate with Harper, but another moment for the haunting truth of that statement to solidify. “No, you didn’t…”

“You bet your ass I did. Torching that dump was the best thing I could’ve done for you. And having your aunt taken out was extra insurance—ensuring you had no one to rely on. It’s character building. It makes you stronger.”

She was beside herself, devastated by the admission. “You’re a frickin’ monster.”

Traci cackled. “You think that makes me a monster? I’d say killing Mindi and making everyone believe
 
she
 burned down the house and murdered Faye is what made me a monster.”

There weren’t words for the anger pumping through Harper’s body. The brazen girl stood to her feet and tackled Traci.

“Let me go!” she shouted, dropping the gun to the floor.

“Bitch! You killed my family!”

The women roared, clawing each other through the blackness.

“Get off me!”

“I should kill you myself!” Harper yelled. Through her tears, she couldn’t think clearly. The fury flowed through her blood, eclipsing her senses. She wanted Traci to know her tumultuous pain.

Suddenly, Harper felt a gun pressed against the back of her neck.

“Back off,” the gruff voice warned.

She carefully pulled her hands away from Traci.

“Move,” he ordered.

“Who are you?”

“You don’t recognize him?” Traci laughed.

Harper scooted against the wall, her blood running cold. Through the dim candlelight, she nervously looked up and saw the blond man pointing his pistol directly at her face. She immediately recognized Gage’s wicked expression.