The Straight Crimes (35 page)

“That bitch had it coming. She betrayed me. The only person who hasn’t is Gage. He’s the only person I’ve been able to trust. That’s why he came to Silver Shores in the first place—to help make sure you moved in with me.”

“What the hell does that mean? I asked if I could stay with you.”

“Do you think it was a coincidence that Bill Winston hired some strange drifter as a farmhand right after you and I met? I put his ass there to keep an eye on you and your family, to study your every move. That way we’d know when to strike.”

“Yeah, right.”

“Who do you think planted the large bag of needles to ensure Mindi was caught? You remember that day, the big battle where Gage helped Faye fight your mom off?”

“You didn’t.”

“Sweetie,
you said you’d lived with your aunt several times before because of your mom’s antics. It seemed to me like Faye was kind of a softy. So we needed to ensure that staying with her was no longer an option. For the same reason, we took care of Mindi. If you had nowhere to go, the only choice you had was to stay with me. That’s how it was supposed to go, but you ruined it.”

Harper couldn’t believe Traci’s shocking confession. It felt as if she were in a bad dream. “Everything was a setup?”

“Yes,” she confessed.

“You ruined my life!”

“I didn’t ruin anything. I fixed it. Only problem was Nik. After setting Faye’s house on fire, Gage went to hide the gas can in the woods. Low and behold, there was Nik. We thought he was out of town. He almost spoiled everything. That’s why we set it up to make it look like he assaulted Gage. Once he was in the squad car, I convinced Nik that you were scorched in the fire. Then his ass sat in jail. Not long enough if you want my opinion.”

“I don’t wanna hear any more. You put him through hell!”

“So? I needed more time to make you love me. I thought if I could help you grieve, it’d bring us closer. Turns out I was wrong. I went through all of that just to be left behind again.”

While blocking out Traci’s psychotic rambling, Harper quietly fought to hide her relief. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Nik, standing in the door frame.

He quickly motioned a finger to his nose.

"I thought you’d understand my mother’s selfishness better than anyone. You two were so alike.”

As much as she didn’t want to hear Traci’s lunacy, all Harper could do was keep her talking. Meanwhile, she held her breath and tried not to draw attention to Nik.

Anxiety washed over her body as their fate hung in the balance. She watched Nik slowly inch his way into the room. The howling wind caused the entire lighthouse to creak.

"There’s something you’ll learn today, Harper. You don’t express gratitude by abandoning someone. I'm sick of being made to feel undesirable by you. I’m tired of being used! I won't let you, or anyone else, make a fool out of me ever again,” she proclaimed. Traci’s arms nervously shuddered as she held her pistol in a wavering grip.

"I didn’t do that, Traci. This is all in your head.”

"Even while I'm standing with a gun in your face, you're stupid enough to keep playing me. It's starting to piss me off!" Traci scowled, firing another bullet at the window.

Then she rushed towards Harper and shoved the gun against the crook of her neck.

Harper flinched, feeling the heat burning against her skin.

“You wronged me for the last time. And I’m gonna make sure it never happens again—”

Without hesitation, Nik lunged at Traci. He knocked the gun out of her hand and threw his elbow into the side of her head.

Traci collapsed from the impact. Before she knew it, Nik was on top of her, restraining her with a furious grip.

While he stared Traci in the eye, he replayed her haunting confession in his distraught mind, detailing his father’s murder. The tension surged through his blood, causing his hands to tremble.

“You killed him!” he yelled.

Traci licked her lips, thinking long and hard before slowly replying, "I’m confused by your reaction. I thought you’d thank me for doing you a favor.”

“Shut your nasty mouth before I shut it for you.”

“Why? It’s the truth. He tore both of our families apart, Nik. Why would you care about someone who threw you away? That man was despicable.”

He squeezed her jaw with all his fury. "No he wasn’t. You’re just demented."

As Traci tried to break free, Nik pushed her back. The strength caused her to smack her head against the floor—leaving her disoriented. Her vengeful eyes rolled into the back of her head and she faded in and out of consciousness.

“Did you knock her out?” Harper asked.

Nik tapped her face, but she was unresponsive. “I think so.”

“Hurry up, babe. Untie me.”

As he rose to his feet, Nik studied Traci another moment longer. Then he cautiously turned around and faced Harper.

“Are you okay?”

“Nik, look out!” Harper shouted.

Suddenly Traci pounced to her feet and pulled Nik to the ground, violently swinging her fists at his face.

Nik blocked the punches and pushed all of his weight against her, pinning her down.

Determined to overpower him, Traci forced a first and she socked Nik deep in the stomach.

The sharp pain caught him off guard, causing him to falter.

Using all her power, Traci pushed Nik's large body off and crawled away.

Before she could escape, he rolled over and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her into his strong grip.

Traci dug her claws into his arm, drawing blood like a needle. Then she pushed him backwards, wrapped her hands around his throat
, and strangled him.

Harper rocked back and forth, trying to free herself from the tight knot. She looked for a jagged edge, a nail, or anything to help loosen the ropes.

“Give up, Kid,” Traci hissed.

Nik grasped her forearms and squeezed them with all his might. The veins bulged in his biceps as he slowly pried her death grip off of his neck. While trying to shake Traci off, he threw his knee into her rib cage.

She pulled her hand free and slapped Nik across the face. Then she slammed her foot into his stomach, pushed him away, and quickly struggled to her feet.

“I don’t think so!” Nik shouted, lunging for her ankles and pulling her down.

As she fell, Traci gashed her head against the sharp edge of a table and immediately collapsed on impact. A tiny puddle of blood collected at the back of her golden hair.

Nik anxiously stumbled to Harper’s side.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

“Yeah, are
 
you
 okay? I was so worried about you.”

“How come you’re here?”

"I thought you might need me.” Nik ran his hands along Harper’s sides until he found the rope to untie her. “Besides, you’re my girl. I’ve gotta take care of you.”

Harper’s joy was quickly overshadowed with fear. "We've gotta hurry before Traci gets up."

“I am.”

It only took a few seconds to free the tattered ropes. While helping Harper to her feet, Nik stumbled over.

"Are you hurt?" she asked.

"I'm fine."

Harper looked down and examined his upper thigh. “Your leg's bleedin’. I can see it comin’ through the slash in your jeans."

"It’s just a cut.”

"No it ain’t. Look how much blood you’re losin’.”

"It’s fine, babe.” He pulled Harper to the doorway. “We don’t have time for that. We’ve gotta go.”

"No, wait.”

“What’s wrong?”

She pointed to the floor. “Grab her gun.”

"Where is it?”

Nik squinted, scouring the floor. "I don’t see where it’s at. Let’s just get the hell out of here.”

"But I don't wanna leave it here."

"There’s no time. We’ve gotta go 
now
.” Nik held out his hand.

As she leaned into him, his knees buckled from the pain.

"Here, hold on to me." Harper lifted his muscular arm and draped it over her shoulder.

With each of them pushing through their pain, Nik and Harper hobbled down the stairs.

The winds whistled a haunting echo that shot through the stairwell. The gloomy howl rang in their ears and elevated their fear.

Harper looked into Nik's distraught eyes, noting the intense worry in his beaten expression. With each tiny step, she peered behind them, fearful of the horror that lingered.

“C’mon, babe, we’re almost there,” she assured him.

Suddenly Nik lost his footing and fell on his back, pulling Harper along with him. They tumbled down five steps before stopping.

“I’m sorry.” Nik applied pressure to the gash on his thigh and tried to stand.

“Can you make it?”

“No. I need your help.”

“Don’t worry—I’ve got you.” Harper grasped onto the gnarled railing and reached down for Nik’s hand.

It was a struggle, but she pulled him to his feet.

“I need a second.” Nik put his hand over his eye.

“What is it?”

“My head’s pounding. I hit it against the stairs.”

“Do you need to sit back down a minute?”

Suddenly a gunshot blasted from the watch room. Its jarring sound frightened them.

Harper shrieked, watching Traci’s silhouette emerge from the door frame.

“Nik, did she hit you?”

“No, are you okay?”

“Yeah, hurry, c’mon!”

"Get back here!" Traci’s wicked voice thundered. Her unsteady body trembled while she raced down the steps. The gun, held loosely in her quivering hand, was pointed in Harper and Nik’s direction.

Although she was lightheaded, Traci was fueled with rage, reaching over the railing and firing again.

“You crazy bitch!” Harper shouted.

"I’m not gonna let anything happen to you. I promise.”

Nik heard Traci's feet stampeding behind them. Although running seemed impossible, there weren’t any other options. Both he and Harper ignored their agony and charged the rest of the way down.

After reaching the bottom of the lighthouse, they bolted through the heavy door, slamming it shut behind them.

Nik shoved all his weight against it.

Visibility outside had diminished. The powerful storm created a near white out condition, blasting snow and wind in their faces.

“As soon as she opens that door, we’re dead. What are we gonna do?”

At that instant, Nik felt Traci slam against the opposite side. He fought tirelessly to halt her.

“Get back!” Harper grabbed a firm grip of his hand and yanked him away from the lighthouse.

As Traci broke free, he tackled her to the ground and knocked the firearm away.

“Nik!” Harper shouted.

“Go get Detective Harris. She’s with Leland in Traci’s house!”

“No, I ain’t leavin’ you here.”

Nik slammed Traci’s head down against her wound.

Ignoring the excruciating pain, she scooted to her right and used her finger tips to get a full grasp of her gun. She took the handle and slammed it into his face.

“Damn!” he groaned. Blood fell from his mouth as he wrestled for control of the pistol.

Traci flailed the weapon above her head, swinging her arms back and forth while Nik grabbed for her wrists.

“Put it down!” he yelled. The barrel stayed pointed away from them, but it took all of his control to keep it that way.

“Get the hell off me!”

“I said drop it.” Nik pushed her hand into the sand while clenching her wrist.

She wouldn’t release her death grip. Realizing he wasn’t relenting, Traci viciously sunk her teeth into his arm.

Through his jacket, he felt the harsh bite grinding into his skin.

Nik quickly turned her over and shoved her face into the ground.

“Get the hell off me!” Traci white-knuckled the handle, pulling the handgun as close to her body as she could.

He tugged on her arms, pushing the barrel towards her. “Not until you give me the frickin’ gun.”

“Nik!” Harper cried.

“Stay back.”

“Drop the God damn thing now!” he shouted, trying to wrench her arms out from under her body.

“Never!” Suddenly, Traci’s finger slipped and accidently pulled the trigger, sending a bullet directly into her stomach.

Traci belted out an ear-splitting scream. She held her hand over the wound as blood drained from her poisoned body.

"Oh my God!" Harper gasped.

Absolutely shocked, Nik stared down at her injured body.

Traci rolled onto her back and over the gun, writhing in pain. Between the deep gash on her head and the open wound in her stomach, she felt paralyzed. She closed her eyes, turned to her side, and helplessly sobbed.