Provoked (18 page)

              Darek laughed and put the vial back inside his pocket.

              “Basia’s father taught us many safety tips. Always stick to the trails, carry a first-aid kit, a map, and a mobile phone. Isn’t that right, Basia?”

Basia didn’t reply.

              “Oh and never be tempted to take a shorter route—too many have paid for that with their lives. One could easily get lost from the marked trail and find themselves at the end of a precipice.” He looked down at the officer and briefly explained that was a very steep cliff one could easily fall from.

              “When I noticed that the sun faded quickly and the clouds stacked up, the time had come. The sounds of thunder, heard from the distance, told me the real adventure was just about to begin. Now normally, and in good judgment, we should have turned back. We were not far from the chata at that point but that taste of bittersweet fast approached. I reached for the ladder as the storm approached. The blizzard had begun and my darling was about to get her wish, or so she thought.
Just like my love for you, darling…bittersweet,” Darek laughed.

              “No seriously, darling, I do love you. I think I actually love you more now. Now that I have seen you live. You are much more exciting now than you were in Poland. I think we can make amends and patch this marriage up. Don’t you think so,
Moja kochana
?”

              Basia definitely did not agree with any of his fantasies. That’s exactly what they were—sick fantasies. She could never love him, and what he believed to be love was control and obsession. He was one sick demented man. He played her once, in the beginning. She was not going to let him do it again. She was stronger now. She just wanted him to believe she was going along with his plan. Her mind continuously searched for a way out.

              “Now untie him. It’s time to go,” Darek commanded.

              Basia obeyed the order, and then cuffed the officer’s hands behind his back with Darek’s next command. He ordered her to walk him out of the apartment and down the backstairs. Darek opened the exit door off the first floor staircase and forced the officer to step up on the crate beside the dumpster. He hit the officer in the head to knock him out. His body hung over the dumpster, and he demanded Basia finish pushing his legs into the dumpster. Her hands shook as she lifted the officer’s legs and pushed him over the edge. Darek commanded they go back inside the exit door. Basia looked up to see the rope attached to the top corner. She figured that’s how he easily got in and out of her building. She reached up and pulled. The door opened and Darek pushed her inside. He directed her to her car, parked in the underground garage. Basia walked in horror and tried to focus on a way to get out of this situation, but he had her gun. She prayed Riley would find her before she got on that plane. Darek’s threat to finish the job on Riley only kept her under his control. He’d already killed everyone she had been close with. She had no one left but Riley. Her love for him made her sacrifice her own life to Darek’s hands. 

              Darek’s phone rang when they parked the car at the airport.

              “Detective Briggs”

Basia’s hope grew.

              “You can say goodbye to her. My wife and I have made amends. Isn’t that right, darling?” Darek’s evil grin and the gun pointed in her back was a warning. Darek put the phone on speaker and nodded to Basia to speak.

              “Riley” Her voice was shaky when she said his name. He knew Darek would be listening.

              “Are you hurt, Basia?”

              His heart wrenched at the thought of her in pain and in fear for her life. He knew Darek Bernard’s mission to kill her was not going to happen now, not yet anyway.

              “No, I’m not hurt”

              Such few words from her mouth only confirmed Darek had the phone on speaker and he’d probably threatened her not to say too much. He was right when he heard Darek command Basia to say goodbye to her lover for good.

              “Riley, I’m like your mother; I don’t like to say goodbye. Remember?”

              Basia’s words were soft and gentle. At first he wondered what she meant, then he remembered when she left him one night and he said
Ta-Ta.
He knew it had confused her. Later he’d figured out that she believed he’d mentioned the Tatra Mountains. He clarified that he meant to say goodbye, and it was a saying his mother used instead of goodbye. Riley didn’t know back then that the Tatra Mountains were the last place she’d been with Darek. It was where she planned Darek’s death and he—hers. Darek spoke into the phone and told Riley he’d say goodbye for her. Then the call ended.

              He turned to Kennedy. “He wants to take her back to Poland.”

              Kennedy’s look consisted of surprise and confusion. Riley knew they hadn’t profiled him to kidnap her and force her back to Poland. He’d come to New York to kill her and inherit her money. Darek’s plans fell apart with the mistakes he made. Riley figured the man’s only plan now was to take her back with him. He apparently wanted her alive and back in his control.
He had to be threatening her with something, but what?

              “Why?” Kennedy interrupted Riley’s thoughts.

              “His plan was to sneak into the country and poison Basia, return to Poland, and claim his inheritance. Once he saw she was living too fine on her own, and enjoying the money he believed should be
his,
his motive changed to torture. The best way to torture her is to eliminate anyone she was close to, kill her, and go back to Poland. Now his existence is known. If he kills her now, he knows he’ll be at the top of the suspect list. I’m the only one that survived his plan, and the only way to keep her from me is to threaten my life if she doesn’t obey.”

              Kennedy agreed, “Happy to have you back, Detective.”

              Kennedy’s phone rang. He answered and then informed Riley he was right. Basia’s car had just been reported at JFK Airport. Kennedy flipped the siren on and Riley raced in between traffic. He told Kennedy to call the precinct and have them send pictures of Darek and Basia to security at the airport, especially International departures.  

              Riley slammed on the brakes, and the tires screeched as he pulled up along the curb in front of the International entrance at the JFK. They raced through the doors and flashed their badges at a security guard. Kennedy quickly informed him of the kidnapping in process. The security guard reached for his radio and received confirmation. He requested security to International departures. Riley frantically searched through the crowd for Basia. Kennedy and the security guard, not far behind him, spread out in different directions.

              Riley spotted them and placed his hand on his gun. He slowly moved through the crowd. They waited at the check-in counter. He saw Basia turn her head to the crowd. He could see Darek’s arm rested against her back and figured he had a gun. He whispered into his radio to Kennedy at which counter he spotted them and mentioned he believed Darek to be armed. Basia’s eyes met Riley’s. Those Mediterranean blues showed fear. His eyes moved suddenly to the floor and back. He hoped she would understand to drop or move to the side if she could. Riley pulled his gun slowly from the holster. Before he could get his finger on the trigger someone in the crowd yelled out
gun
.

             
Shit!
He whispered. Darek turned and spotted him. He took his hand away from Basia’s back and pointed his gun at Riley. Basia dropped to the floor.

              “NYPD, drop your weapon.” Riley ordered. Darek smiled.

              “No, you cannot have her, Detective.”

              A gunshot echoed in the airport and Basia lifted her hands off her head. She turned to see Darek fall to the floor, and then looked up to see Kennedy a few feet away. Basia heard Riley’s voice and felt a hand touch her arm and help bring her up. Her eyes met Riley’s. His eyes welled with tears.

              “I knew you would understand. I never want to say goodbye.”

              Riley touched her face. “You will never have to say goodbye.”

              Her lips parted to speak but not a word came out. His lips met hers and the rest of the world disappeared, until a clearing of the throat was heard. Riley released from the kiss and turned to Kennedy.

              “Thanks, partner.”

              Riley reached out to shake hands with Kennedy. His partner had taken Darek down before he had the chance to pull the trigger on Riley.

              “Anytime, that’s what partners do.”

              Kennedy then asked Basia if she was hurt. She shook her head and thanked him. Security cleared the crowd and Kennedy spoke with the police. He smiled and nodded to Riley. Riley understood that meant he would take care of the rest and to get Basia out of there. Riley removed his jacket and wrapped it around Basia. She trembled from shock. He put his arm around her and led her out of the airport.

              Riley opened the passenger side door for her and Basia turned to face him.

              “I just remembered what Darek told me. He’s implicated my old college roommate as his accomplice. She supplied the thallium. Damn! It slipped my mind. Riley, we have to verify a few things to get a warrant for her arrest. She’s not getting away with this. She’s as much to blame for the murders of my friends as Darek is.”

              Basia’s eyes filled with tears. Her anger soared to its highest.

              “Basia.” He took her in his arms and held her tight. He brushed through her hair softly with his hand. “Calm down. We’ll go straight to the precinct. I’ll get Kennedy to meet us there.”

Riley calmed her enough and she climbed into the passenger side of his car. He started the ignition and called Kennedy’s number.

              “Kennedy, can you meet us back at the precinct? Basia got Darek to admit he’d had an accomplice.” Riley paused and turned to Basia. “What’s your college friend’s name?”

              “Lynette Goodwin”

              Riley almost dropped the phone, “As in Dr. Goodwin, the forensics pathologist from the morgue”.

              “Yes, I’ve known her since college. I still can’t believe Lynette is caught up in this mess.”

              Basia looked as horrified as Riley felt. He couldn’t believe it either.

              “Yeah, that’s what she said. We’ll see you at the precinct.”

Riley ended the call and shifted the gear into drive. He couldn’t stop thinking about Lynette. He didn’t know whether to confess to Basia that she’d been one of his
one-night stands or remain silent...

              “What the hell...”

              Riley looked up when he heard Kennedy enter the precinct.

              “Lynette? The good-looking morgue chick is connected to the brownstone murders?”

              Kennedy stood in front of Riley’s desk and waited for an answer to his ramble. The confused expression on his face only made Riley chuckle. “Yes, the morgue chick is connected.”

              “How? Is anyone going to elaborate?” Kennedy drilled and Basia finally stood with a heavy sigh.

              “Lynette and I went to college together. She came home one summer to Poland with me. And then she came to my parents’ funerals. She met Darek then, but I had no idea the two kept in touch or schemed to plan my death. It just doesn’t make sense. I still can't believe she’s caught up in this mess.”

              “But what’s her motive? Money?”

              Riley looked up from his computer screen. “Sometimes it’s the ones you’d never suspect.” 

              “Money, even good folk sometimes can be bribed,” Kennedy blurted out. 

              “No. Not Lynette. She’s not like that. If she needed money she’d ask. Trust me. I saved her ass a couple times in college.” 

              “Well, I hate to burst that bubble but here it is. There’s an offshore account under her name with a hefty balance.” 

              Riley looked up at Basia. “Did Darek still have access to your money?”

Basia looked sick. Her skin grew pale. She swallowed hard. 

              “I hadn’t checked. I thought he was dead. The past couple of days have been so crazy, finding out he was alive and trying to kill us.” 

She reached over Riley and pressed a few keys. 

              “This was deposited last December, just before our hiking trip.” Basia paused. “I remember my dad was doing renovations before his death. Before our hike, Darek told me the contractors needed to be paid. He had signing authority on my dad’s business. I think we need to have a chat with Lynette.”

              Riley took Basia into his arms.

              “I’m so sorry you’ve had to go through all of this because of two very selfish people.”

              Basia looked up into his eyes. Her eyes held sadness.

              “I’m so sorry that Beth and her friends had to suffer because of those two.”

Riley placed his hand on the back of her head. He drew her in gently against his chest and held her tightly.