Thirty-Five and a Half Conspiracies (29 page)

“Maybe we should call this off.”

I looked into his worried eyes and gave him a mischievous grin. “Don’t go turncoat on me now, Skeeter Malcolm. One’s enough, don’t you think?”

“Rose, I’m sorry,” he said quietly. “We heard what you said in there.”

“How?” Then I knew. I closed my eyes. “The mic.”

“Yeah.”

I scanned our conversation, cringing at the thought of it being overheard. “I’m surprised you didn’t hit him for telling me about Joe.”

He shrugged. “I suppose it’s better for you to find out now than if Daddy Simmons lets it slip.”

I cocked my head. “You set Mason up.”

A grin ghosted across his lips. “Guess we’ll never know.” He looked like he was about to leave, but then he said, “Rose, for what it’s worth, I’d never let you do this if I didn’t think you were capable of it.”

“Thanks. I know.”

He walked out and shut the door behind him. I washed my face and put on some makeup I’d found in the bag. Then I pinned up my hair, slid on my shoes, and took a long look at myself in the mirror. My eyes were still red, so it was a good thing I had the veil to cover them. I’d only met J.R. once in person. Several months had passed since that awful dinner in September, but I suspected he was one of those people who remembered everyone. I hoped he wouldn’t remember me.

I walked out into the living room. Jed had changed into a black suit, a white shirt, and a black tie. Trying to make light of the situation, I walked over and straightened his tie. “You look very debonair. I feel like I’m going to Homecoming.”

Skeeter laughed, but it sounded strained. “We’ll save the homecoming for after.”

My smile fell, and I looked him in the eye. “Agreed.”

“I want you to wear a gun again.” He dropped to one knee in front of me, holding the elastic band Jed had given me. He looked up and winked. “Don’t be gettin’ any ideas about me proposin’.”

“I’d never suspected such a thing,” I forced out, my heart aching with my new knowledge. How had I been so stupid about that too? “You told me you feared what would happen to your family jewels if you married me.”

“That was only if I cheated,” he said, holding it open so I could step into it. “And any man who cheated on you would be a fool.” He looked up at me and grinned. “Besides, we both know you wouldn’t stop with the jewels.” He winked and slid the band up to my upper thigh.

Jed handed him a small gun, and Skeeter secured it into the band.

“I can do that myself, Skeeter.”

His expression was ornery when he looked up at me. “Can’t blame a man for coppin’ a feel.”

I pushed his hands off my leg. “Enough of that.”

“How’s it feel?”

I walked around the room. “It still feels strange, but it’s secure.”

“That’s what we’re going for.” He stood, his seriousness returning. “Ready to go?”

No, but this was happening at my insistence, so I didn’t exactly have room to complain. I started for the door. “Let’s do it.”

Skeeter opened the door for me, and I shivered as I stepped into the cold night air.

“You need a coat,” he said in a low voice.

“Too late for that now,” I said, walking past two men on the front porch toward the car that was parked parallel to the house. Another man stood next to the already running car, giving me a grim smile.

Skeeter opened the back door, and I slid into the car. Skeeter shut the door and walked around to the other side as Jed got into the driver’s seat.

“Have another vision,” Skeeter said as soon as he shut the door.

I nodded and put my hand on Jed’s shoulder, forcing a vision of what would happen at the end of the meeting. A room came into view, but it was hazy, and the vision appeared to be unfolding in slow motion. I heard gunshots and shouting, and there were multiple people in the room—far more than the four who were supposed to be present—but I was fine and so was Vision Rose. We were hiding together behind an overturned table.

“There’s a gunfight,” I said, opening my eyes.

“Were you or Jed injured?”

“No, I don’t think so.” But my heart was racing as I told them what I saw.

“So you have no idea if you got any usable information from him?” Skeeter asked.

“No, but I can only assume I did.”

Skeeter didn’t look so certain. “Jed. Your call.”

Jed looked back at me. “How are you feelin’ about it, Lady?”

“The prospect of a gunfight scares me, but if we know it’s comin’, at least we’ll be prepared.” Still, something stank about the whole situation.

Jed nodded. “Let’s do it.”

“We didn’t text J.R. the location,” I said, worried anew.

Skeeter pulled out the burner phone. “I already took care of it about an hour ago.

They’re on their way to the Days Inn, and we have the room under video surveillance, like we discussed.”

“We’re gonna drive around a bit,” Jed explained as he turned a corner. “Then we’re gonna head to Gentry’s house. We’ve got men watching it, and the house has been bugged. We’ve got it covered.”

“Okay.”

After we drove around for about fifteen minutes, Skeeter pulled out his phone. “Bobby says they’ve pulled up to the Days Inn.”

“They’re running ten minutes early,” Jed murmured.

“We’d best beat it to the house.”

“Agreed.”

“Is this a problem?” I asked, starting to worry.

“No,” Skeeter said, patting my leg. “Not necessarily. But we need to make a beeline to the house so we’re not feelin’ rushed.”

“He’s trying to throw us off,” I said.

“Good thing it’s not gonna work. Now get a text ready about the change in the meetin’ spot.”

I did as he asked as Jed handed his phone to Skeeter. It was linked to the camera planted in the hotel room. It was empty, but then the door burst open and several men entered the room, Mick Gentry and J.R. Simmons trailing behind them.

“Where are they?” Gentry asked.

Simmons grinned and pulled out his phone. “She’s a sly little fox.”

“Send the text,” Skeeter said.

Simmons looked around, then pulled his phone out of his pocket. “Change of plans,” he said with a grin. “We’re headed someplace else.”

“Are you sure you want to do that?” Mick Gentry asked.

“I’m curious as hell to meet the infamous Lady in Black.” He looked up into the hidden camera and grinned.

“See you soon, Lady.”

I had a sudden urge to get a vial of holy water.

“
I
’m having second thoughts
,” Skeeter said, jiggling his leg up and down. “I say we abort.”

“Why?” I asked. “What’s changed?”

“That man is pure evil, Rose.”

“You knew that before, Skeeter. What’s changed?”

“I think he knows.”

“Knows what?”

“That I’m part of this.”

Jed pulled into the neighborhood where we were meeting J.R., parking down the block from the house. He re-watched the short video clip.

“What do you think, Jed?” I asked.

“I say you have another vision.”

I nodded and put my hand on his shoulder. The vision came almost immediately this time. We were in the living room, and I was standing behind the Lady in Black’s chair. J.R. Simmons and Mick Gentry were sitting on the sofa across from us.

There was a smug grin on J.R.’s face as he leaned back on the sofa. “I’m ready to embark on a partnership. Are you?”

Lady moved her hand from her crossed leg to the arm of her chair, then said, “I definitely have what I need.” She sounded pleased as she said it.

Then the smile fell from J.R.’s face as he looked behind me. “You. What are you doing here?”

The vision ended, and I said, “I got everything I need.” Then I blinked and quickly told them everything I had seen.

Nobody said anything for a moment, and then I finally said, “I’m doin’ it.” I looked up front. “Jed?”

He glanced back over his shoulder. “No gunfight? No skirmish?”

“It could have happened later, but not in the part I saw. J.R. was too concerned with whoever he saw walkin’ in behind us.” I turned to glance at Skeeter. “Were you planning on dropping in?”

“While I considered it, no. If I show up, all hell’s gonna break loose. I wouldn’t risk your life that way.”

“So who shows up?” I asked. “He definitely seemed surprised.”

“I have no idea,” Skeeter responded. “But whoever it was could be the catalyst for the gunfight.”

Jed looked over his shoulder. “So when the surprise guest shows up, take my lead and run for cover.”

“Have another vision,” Skeeter said, his voice low. “Of after.”

“Okay,” I whispered. I touched Jed again and tried to see what happened after it was all said and done, but all I got was that same gray haze from earlier.

“I don’t like it,” Skeeter said, looking straight ahead through the windshield. “It’s too ambiguous. What’s it mean?”

“I don’t know,” I confessed. “Something like this has happened to me before. When I ask to see things that don’t end up happening, I kind of get stuck. But these visions are different. For one, I can leave them without having another vision, and for another, they just
feel
different.” I turned to look at him. “Like the future is shapeless and waiting to be formed.”

“I don’t like it,” Skeeter repeated. “I want to know.”

“We can’t know everything,” I said quietly. “Sometimes we have to write our own future.”

“Skeeter,” Jed said. “Time is tickin’. If we’re doin’ this, we need to get in there.”

Skeeter stared at me for several long seconds. “Rose, if you don’t want to do this, I’ll give you a new life—money, a new name, anything you need to get away from here and be safe.”

“But everything I want is right here,” I said with a soft smile. “Besides, I’m tired of hiding and being afraid of my own shadow. I’ve grown up, and the new me fights for what she wants.”

“That’s my girl.” The corners of his lips lifted, and his eyes twinkled with mischief. “J.R. Simmons won’t know what hit him.” He leaned over and gave me a lingering kiss on the cheek, then he sat up and was all business again. “Jed’s gonna be with you, but I’ll be listening in with Bluetooth as long as I’m not too far out of range. If you need to get out of there, just say bananas and we’ll get you out.”

“Bananas?”

“Yeah.” He looked up front. “Jed, I’ll get out here and get into position. You move the car up and get Lady inside. We have five minutes tops.”

“Will do.”

Skeeter opened the back door and grinned. “Knock ’em dead, Lady.” Then he hopped out and shut the door behind him.

Before I knew it, Jed had parked a little farther up the road and was opening my door. “Bring your burner phone.” He pointed behind me as I started to slide across the seat. “He might text or call you.”

“Good thinkin’.” I grabbed it in a death grip. It was also my access to 911 should I need it.

“How are you doin’?” he whispered as he led me across the street and up the driveway.

“Nervous. Scared to death.”

“That’s good,” he said. “The adrenaline will make you sharper.”

“It only makes me feel clumsy and uncoordinated.”

“Focus that fear on your job, and I promise you that you’ll be even better at it.” He looked down at me with a grin. “But if you get any better, I’ll be out of a job. Skeeter’ll replace me.”

I shook my head as we climbed the few steps to the front porch. “Never gonna happen. After tonight, I’m retirin’. I’ll roast my hat in a big ole bonfire.”

He cocked his head and grinned at me as he opened the front door. “Never say never. You’ve got a God-given talent. It would be a shame to waste it.”

I released a nervous laugh. “I’ll leave the mischief to you and Skeeter. I’ve had my fill of it to last a lifetime. Now let’s get this done.”

He looked around for a moment and then entered the house ahead of me. The room was dimly lit, but it was bright enough that I could see from the light of a few lamps scattered across the room. The house had an open floor plan, and the living room was situated next to the open kitchen. It was as nice as Jed had led me to believe. The kitchen had fancy stainless steel appliances and granite counters, along with pendant lights over the island like you see in magazines.

The living room was covered in an off-white carpet. A leather sofa and a couple of upholstered chairs sat in front of a floor-to-ceiling stone fireplace. But the back wall was what was most impressive. Most of it was made of glass, and it overlooked the dark landscape of the lake. I could see a million stars in the sky, and the water was speckled with tiny bright lights from boat docks. It was the dead of winter, but they looked like fireflies.

“We moved the furniture around to optimize our safety,” Jed said as we walked into the room, and then he chuckled. “It’s liable to piss Gentry off even more.”

“Good.”

He gave me a look of surprise, then continued. “All of these glass doors lead to a deck, which has stairs to the right. This is escape route one.” He pointed to a door by the kitchen. “This is the only open door. The others have been sealed to maximize the effectiveness of our getaway—should we need one—but it’s glass, so it won’t slow them down for long.”

“Got it,” I murmured.

“Escape route number two is behind us.” He led me through the kitchen and to a short hallway lined with two doors. “This is one of those rare southern Arkansas houses that has a walkout basement. This door will take you downstairs. Once you’re down there, there’s a door you can use to exit and run to our rendezvous position.”

“Which is?” I asked, starting to get nervous.

“In the parking lot behind the country club. We passed it on the way in.”

I nodded. It was about a quarter mile to a third of a mile away. I’d never be able to run in these heels, but I’d just kick them off if necessary. “Any other escape routes?”

“If you get truly desperate, you can run up to a bedroom and try to get out a second story window, but I wouldn’t recommend it. And of course, there’s always the front door.”

“Got it.”

He pointed to a wine bottle and three wine glasses on the island. “The boys found some of Gentry’s wine in his wine cellar.” He grinned. “One of them said this was an expensive bottle if you want to play hostess.”

“Okay.”

He poured me a glass of red wine and set it on the table next to my chair. “It might help add to the illusion.”

I needed all the help I could get.

He pulled out his phone, then flinched and gave me a hard look. “They’re coming down the street. We need to get into position. We have men hidden around the house, waiting to step in and help if we need them, but their assistance will be in the form of fire-power, and we’re hoping to avoid that. Like Skeeter said, the code word is bananas, and as soon as you say it, I’ll get us out of here. Got it?”

I nodded, swallowing my nerves. “Do you really think I can do this, Jed?”

He grinned, but his eyes were serious. “I don’t have a death wish, but I don’t mind taking chances if the odds are in my favor. If anyone can do this, it’s you.”

He gestured for me to take a seat in the chair. I could see why they had chosen this position. The chair was at a slight angle, and its back was to the kitchen. From here we could see the front door and the hall with the door leading to the basement. The only thing we couldn’t see was the door to the deck behind us.

I cast a glance toward it as I sat down.

“We have men covering the back,” Jed said, as if reading my mind.

“We know from my vision that somebody gets past them without creating a disturbance.” Who was it? Would Skeeter change his mind about coming in?

“Then it must be someone on our side. Skeeter will have beefed up security. I guarantee it.” Jed’s voice was tight as he hurried to the front window and peeked out of the blinds. “They’re here.”

I sat down, setting the cell phone on the table next to the wine, then fingered the edge of my veil. I took a deep breath, trying to center myself. I had so much riding on this meeting that I was close to losing my nerve.

Jed’s hand rested reassuringly on my shoulder. “One piece at a time. Follow Deveraux’s script.”

Crappy doodles, I should have been going over it in the car. But it was too late to think of that now.

The front door swung open, banging against the wall, and Gentry stormed into the house.

“Just who the hell do you think you are?” he demanded.

Well, crap. The vision was different right off the bat. Worry followed that realization, but there was no turning back now. The future had already been set into motion. Now we could only live it.

“Ah, Mr. Gentry,” I said, trying to sound amused. “I take you didn’t have any trouble finding the place.”

“It’s my own damn house!” he shouted.

“Gentry. That’s enough,” a cold, genteel male voice commanded.

I swung my gaze to the front door, and my skin started to crawl when I saw J.R. fill the doorway. He paused just outside the threshold, his shrewd gaze taking everything in.

“Are you a vampire?” I asked. “Do you need to be invited in?”

A playful gleam filled his eyes. “I’ve been accused of being evil, but never a vampire. This evening could prove even more entertaining than expected.” He grinned as he walked inside. “Do you often invite evil to your door?”

I shrugged. “It depends. But I suspect you’re a whole brand of evil unto yourself, Mr. Simmons.” I tried to keep my tone light and playful.

Amusement created crinkles around his eyes as he crossed the room toward me. I’d just added another layer to the game and he was pleased. But his entire life was one long, continuous game. Everyone around him was a disposable object for him to manipulate for his own entertainment.

I despised him even more.

I waited until he stopped several feet in front of me before I stood, as if I were granting him an audience at my throne. I offered him my hand to shake, but he lifted it to his mouth, his lips brushing my knuckles. His eyes darted everywhere, taking in everything, from my shoes, to the doors, to Jed standing sentry behind me.

All within a matter of seconds.

Mick Gentry remained in the center of the room, seething, but he reminded me of a puppy tied to a stake. Despite how much the collar chafed, he knew his master.

J.R. straightened and narrowed his gaze on my veil, still holding my hand. He was close enough that he could probably make out the silhouette of my face. “I’m honored to meet you, Lady. May I call you that?”

I forced myself to remain calm. Jed had said I should focus my fear into doing my job, so I did just that. “Of course.”

“Please call me J.R.” He released my hand and moved over to the windows. He looked like he was taking in the view, but he was using the glass to study the room.

I sat back down and felt like I was going to be sick. All the preparation in the world couldn’t have prepared me to meet this man.

He was Darth Vader, and I was Jar Jar Binks.

What in the world had I been thinking?

Just as I started to panic, Jed’s hand squeezed my shoulder, giving me reassurance.

J.R. noticed too, of course.

I gracefully reached up and put my hand on Jed’s, stroking it lightly, as J.R. turned and gave us his full attention.

“Malcolm’s right-hand man is your lover?” he asked, amused. “Does he know?”

Oh, he was one sick and twisted man, all right. My anger rose up again. I was going to show him pain and suffering, but this time he would be on the receiving end.

I lowered my hand and gave an indifferent sideways wave. “Why would I care whether Mr. Malcolm knows or not?”

J.R. sat on the sofa—in the same exact position he’d taken in my vision—and gestured for Mick to sit next to him. “With pain comes power, Lady. Surely you’ve learned that by now.”

“Some of us have other methods of enforcing our rules.”

He grinned. “I’d love to learn all about your methods. I’m excited to learn
everything
about you.” His gaze landed on my cleavage before finding its way back up to my veil.

I cocked my head and grinned back. “Some things are better left to the imagination, Mr. Simmons.”

“J.R.,
please
,” he said with a patronizing air. “And while that is true in many situations, I suspect that what you have hidden will far surpass my wildest imaginings.”

Could he know who I was?

“I must warn you, J.R., very few people are granted access to my private life. They must earn their way there.” I paused. “But I’m sure you follow the same rules.”

“I’ve never been much of a rule-follower, but I suspect I’ll break the few I have with you, Lady.” His grin turned wicked. “First and foremost, don’t mix business with pleasure.” He leaned his elbow on the arm of the sofa. “But then I’ve never understood the reasoning behind that rule. I take pleasure in everything. Particularly business.”