Fatal Transaction (Thriller & Suspense, Cyber Crime) (26 page)

“What? Little what? Can’t handle someone talking back to you, can you? You want everyone to be in fear of you. And why? Because of this chair?”

One quick glace. Derry had the wires apart. “This chair is not so bad after the first few bouts. You should try it.”

Levy lowered the gun and leaned in. “You have no idea the torment I will put you through.”

“I’m not afraid of you or this thing.”

He wheeled around to Vance. “Hit her.”

Spinning back, he gave an evil smile.

Nothing happened.

Levy turned around, and took a step toward Vance, closer to Derry. “Hit her, and hit her hard. Can’t you do anything—”

The veins in Levy’s forehead bulged out as his arms flew into the air. The gun clanged to the floor. His body vibrated, and he let loose a pulsating scream.

Vance hit the main breaker, killing the power. Levy’s body crumpled to the hard cold floor, landing next to Derry.

Derry dropped the wires and reached for Levy’s gun.

Vance kicked it away, then squatted next to Levy. He lightly slapped his face. “Mr. Levy, wake up. Are you okay?” He checked Levy’s pulse.

Then Vance glared at Derry, his face crimson. In one swift move, he grabbed Derry by the throat and yanked him to his feet. Derry grabbed the large hand, trying to break free.

“You’re dead.” Pulling a knife off his belt, Vance brought his arm back, the knife aimed at Derry’s midsection.

Sara screamed, “No!”

Chapter 51

S
ara watched in horror, as Vance’s knife plunged forward, straight for Derry’s stomach. Her whole world was ending right before her eyes.

“No!”

As the knife touched Derry’s shirt, the ear shattering sound of a gunshot drowned out her scream.

Vance’s shoulder jerked backward, and the knife flew from his hand. He released Derry, who plummeted to the floor.

“What in the—?” Vance glanced down at the destruction to his shoulder before focusing on the man at the bottom of the stairs. His eyes bulged out as his face took on a deeper red. In one swift move, Vance swooped down and came up with Levy’s gun.

Lamar voiced a warning—“FBI! Drop the weapon!”—even as Vance twisted back around, firing.

The hasty shot missed.

Vance brought up his other hand to steady the gun. He extended his arms and lined up the barrel. Before he got the second shot off, three rounds left Lamar’s Glock 22. Two penetrated Vance’s chest, the third round hitting just above his left eye. Vance’s head snapped back, and his body tumbled to the floor.

The room became quiet, if only for a second. The nightmare was over.

FBI agents, police, and paramedics filled the room.

Lamar picked up Derry. “You okay, son?”

Derry opened his eyes slightly. “About time the cops show up.” His voice was weak. His eyes shut again.

Lamar set him on a gurney as one of the agents removed Sara’s straps. “You okay?”

She pushed herself up and out of the chair. Her legs were weak as she tried to rush over to Derry. His eyes were closed. She glanced at the paramedic. “Is he okay?”

“We need to get him to the hospital, but he should make it.” They wheeled him out as she watched.

“He’s strong. He’ll make it.” Lamar peered down at her.

“He has to.”

Once Derry was out of sight, Sara noticed two agents escorting Levy up the stairs in handcuffs. She’d expected to feel more delight at this moment. All she felt was relief.

A sheet covered Vance’s body. As she gazed down at it, the room began to rotate.

Lamar caught her as she stumbled. “You okay?”

“Yeah, I think so. Just a little lightheaded.”

“Let’s get you to the hospital, too. You need to have the doctor look at you.” He helped her up the stairs.

On the way up, she stumbled again. Her legs just didn’t want to obey. Lamar picked her up, and carried her to a waiting ambulance. As the paramedics checked her vital signs, Sara watched other agents emptying Levy’s stronghold of its occupants.

***

“Hey, Kai come see this,” Ted yelled from inside his store.

What now? Leaving Sara’s computer sitting on Ted’s desk, she moved into the store. Ted stood behind the counter, gaze glued to a laptop.

“I hope this is important. One more pass, and I should be able to read the data on Sara’s hard drive.”

Ted glanced over at Kai. He was smiling. “I don’t think you’ll be needing it. Look.” He stepped back.

Kai glanced down at the screen. It was a news report. The image revealed several police and FBI agents swarming her home. She took a quick glance at Ted. He was enjoying it. The voice talked about the raid on a credit card ring headquartered in Denver. Several arrests had been made, with more expected in the following days.

“There goes my debt.” Ted stepped up next to Kai. “I’m free.”

Kai thought about Sara. Somehow she’d outsmarted Levy again. The thought made her glad and a little nervous. “Did they say anything about Sara or her boyfriend, Derry?”

“I think I saw Sara being carried out by an agent. He took her to an ambulance. They also said two men were dead, and someone else was in critical condition, but they didn’t give any names.”

“I hope he’s okay.” Kai turned toward Ted. “You might want to get rid of Sara’s computer, along with anything else that ties you to Levy.”

“Hey, that’s yours, not mine.”

“That doesn’t matter. I’m out of here.” She wheeled around and started walking.

“Where are you going?” Ted yelled.

“Anywhere but here.” She grabbed her bag as she passed through the storeroom and headed out the back door.

New York sounded like a good place to get lost.

Chapter 52

D
erry paced back and forth in Kevin’s living room. A spring snow was falling outside, extending the long winter. For the last five months, Sara had been helping the FBI round up people who worked for Levy. She worked with the credit card companies to close leaks or gaps in their testing procedures.

During this time, Lamar worked on a deal with the courts. Today was the day set for her sentencing. Derry wanted to be there, but the hearing was behind closed doors.

“Wearing a hole in the rug won’t get them here any faster.”

Derry glanced at Mary as she sat, arms crossed, on the Knights’ couch. With her eyes half closed, she appeared relaxed.

Kevin walked up behind him. “Did you ever find out what sentence Levy got?”

Derry turned around to face him. “Life without parole. Thanks to Sara, they were able to prove that Levy was behind two murders, in addition to the one I witnessed, along with numerous other crimes.”

“Her cooperation should help her.”

“Yeah. I hope so.”

A car pulled up, and Lamar and Sara got out.

Derry threw open the door and bolted from the house. Running across the freshly fallen snow, he picked Sara up in his arms and hugged her tight.

No words were spoken as he breathed in her essence. He never wanted to let her go again.

***

Lamar, Mary, Kevin, and Natalie were seated at the table when Sara and Derry made their way into the house. Dinner was waiting for them.

“It’s about time.” Lamar’s deep voice bellowed. “I’m starving.”

“I don’t think you know the meaning of that word.”

“Are you two at it again?” Mary glanced between Lamar and Derry.

“Maybe after you and Lamar get married, you can teach him some manners.” Derry pulled the chair out for Sara.

“I’m going to be his wife, not his mother.”

Sara enjoyed the bantering between Lamar, Mary and Derry. It felt like family, something she really missed in her life.

“Well, you want to hear the conditions of Sara’s parole?” Lamar asked as the food was passed around.

Derry reached over and squeezed Sara’s hand. “Sure.”

“The judge was very impressed with her willingness to work with us. It went a long way. He gave me almost everything I asked for. You know, I spent a lot of time in his chambers, talking with him. Telling him—”

“Okay, enough with the drama and patting yourself on the back.”

Sara hit Derry. “Hey, stop taking away his limelight. He’s my new boss.”

“And you took that over prison?”

She hit him again.

“Okay, she has to work for the FBI for ten years. To begin with, as part of my team. She’ll be helping us investigate computer fraud. She is not allowed to have any computer access at home.”

“That’s a long time,” Derry added.

“She’ll do fine. She’s a strong girl.” Mary liked Sara.

“They’re going to pay me. It’ll be a real job. I just can’t leave.”

“Okay, but no computer access? How’s that going to work in today’s world?”

“I asked the judge that. He defined it as no private desktop or laptop, and no smartphone—unless provided by the FBI and monitored by us.” Lamar hesitated. “And she’ll be living with the Knights. At least for now.”

“What’s wrong with my guesthouse?” Derry glanced at Kevin then back at Lamar.

“The judge didn’t like the idea of her boyfriend being the one to keep an eye on her,”

Sara cut in. “Besides, living that close to you offers way too many temptations.”

“I’ve been good.” Derry looked over at Sara.

“What makes you think I’m worried about you?”

After dinner, Lamar gave Sara instructions for the next day and left. Derry went with her to get some things out of the guesthouse.

Grabbing his hand, she pulled him to the couch. “Can we sit for a while?”

He slid one arm around her shoulder as he reached for her other hand. “I’m glad you let your hair grow back out.”

“And the color?” She smiled up at him. In the soft light, his face looked so strong and sure.

“Brown fits you.”

She snuggled closer.

The two talked softly as the snow fell outside. For the first time in as long as she could remember, she was happy. Truly happy.

The End