The Curse Keepers Collection (138 page)

“He’ll be upset if he sees you.”

He grinned. “Would he rather get killed or see my ruggedly handsome face?”

“He’s going to be upset with
me
.”

“I may have put you in danger in the first place, but haven’t you noticed I’ve spent the rest of my time trying to keep you
out
of danger? This falls under the same category. I’ll cover for you. I’ll tell him I used my questionable resources to figure out where you were.”

My mouth parted in surprise. If anything, I would have suspected that he’d cause trouble between us in the hopes of breaking us up.

“I’m going to head around to the back of the building. I need you to watch the front. If you see any movement or activity, text me. Only call if it’s an emergency.” He paused. “You have your phone with you, right?”

I nodded.

“How about a kiss for luck?” he teased.

“Not on your life.”

He sighed. “Let’s hope it’s not on David’s.” Then he crawled across the roof and disappeared.

C
HAPTER
N
INETEEN

David had been inside for more than twenty minutes, and there was no sign of any activity in the building, nefarious or otherwise.

Was Collin serious about protecting David, or was he just saying that to placate me? One thing was for sure—having Collin’s help was better than having no help at all. Without him, I’d still be perusing carpets.

I kept my eyes trained on the front door, seeing into the small front office, which was empty besides a metal desk and two plastic chairs. What was going on behind that secured door?

I checked my phone to see if I’d missed a message from David somehow, but my screen was glaringly empty.

Several minutes later Collin texted me.

I’m in the back with no signs of trouble. Anything in the front?

No.

There was a pause before he texted back.

I’m going to do a bit of snooping. Text me if you see anything.

I hesitated before texting back.

Be careful.

I expected a smart-ass response, but got nothing. I wished I knew what he was planning to do. Instead, I was forced to sit there helpless, watching the building where the two men I cared about might be in serious danger.

Several minutes later, a black limo pulled up in front of the building as the secured door to the back of the front office opened. A sharply dressed woman emerged, her snow-white hair perfectly coiffed. She walked with an air of confidence and power. I expected David to follow her out the door, but she was alone.

I quickly texted Collin.

The woman came out as her limo pulled up. She’s alone. Anything?

He quickly responded.

Nothing.

Shit. The driver got out and walked around the car to open the door for her. She was about to climb into the back when the secured door opened again and a well-built guy wearing jeans and a dark T-shirt who looked like he was in his twenties walked out to talk to her. My binoculars were trained on them, so when he lifted his hand to his face I could see that his knuckles were bloody with fresh wounds.

My heart threw itself into my rib cage.
David
.

I zoomed the binoculars in closer and noticed flecks of blood on his arm. I called Collin and he answered on the first ring.

“Collin, they’ve done something to David.” My voice shook with panic.

“What? What do you see?”

“One of the guys came out behind the woman. His hand is covered in blood and it looks like he’s hit someone.”

“Ellie, calm down. You don’t know that he hit David.”

“Why would the woman let him hit David? What’s her part in this?”

“
Calm down
, Ellie.
”
He lowered his voice. “Panicking isn’t going to help anyone.”

“That man has David’s blood on his hands and arm, so don’t you tell me to calm down!”

I lifted the binoculars back to my eyes. The man’s face contorted with anger and the woman pointed a finger at his chest before spinning around and getting into the back of her limo.

“You have to get him out of there, Collin.
Now.
I’m going to find out more about the woman in the limo. She must know something.”

“Ellie, what the fuck are you doing?” He sounded furious.

I got up and ran across the roof and then tried to come up with an off-the-cuff plan while I stood at the edge, looking down at the industrial park. “Collin, I’m begging you. Get David out of there.”

I hung up and jumped over the edge, landing on the Dumpster with a loud thud. My knees buckled to absorb the drop. Once I managed to steady myself, I leaped off the trash bin and landed on my feet.

I took off running toward the south entrance to the industrial park. Since I’d studied the area the night before, I knew that while the main entrance was to the east, there was a smaller one to the south. It was a gamble. Using the south entrance would require me to pass some dubious-looking buildings that anyone with a sense of self-preservation would avoid, but I was betting that that woman in her expensive clothes and limo didn’t want anyone to find her here. It made sense that she would opt to use the alternate entrance.

My phone vibrated in my hand and I answered. “Did you get David?”

“Ellie! You need to think this through.
What are you doing?
”

“Did you find him?”

“I won’t do a goddamned thing until you tell me what you’re doing.”

“I’m intercepting her car at the south entrance.
Now get him
.”

I hung up as I turned down a road opposite from the east entrance, hoping I’d made the right gamble. I stuffed my phone in my pocket and bolted down a side street that—if I calculated correctly—would connect to the south entrance street. I skidded to a stop at the corner when I saw that the black car was several blocks away and headed in my direction.

I reached up and grabbed the collar of my pale-blue cotton shirt and tugged, ripping it slightly. Then I grabbed my upper arms and rubbed them vigorously. As the car approached, I ran out into the middle of the road, waving and screaming, “Help!”

For a brief moment, I thought the car was going to run me over, but it slowed down and then pulled to a halt. I ran up to the driver’s window and banged on it. “Help me! Please!”

The window rolled down and a man’s irritated face glared at me.

“Thank God! I was attacked and he was chasing me . . . ” My voice broke as I looked back over my shoulder. I didn’t have to fake my terror.

The man continued to stare me down.

“Marco, where is your sense of propriety?” The cultured female voice came from the back of the car. “Offer the poor girl assistance.”

He lowered his gaze. “Yes, ma’am.”

“Have her sit in the back with me so she can catch her breath.”

He pushed the car door open and I stepped out of the way as he reluctantly slid out and opened the back door.

I peered into the dark interior before sliding into the seat next to the woman. I forced myself not to claw her. Instead, I said, “Thank you.”

“Are you okay, my dear?” She sat primly in her seat. She wore a long-sleeved white blouse, the top button left open to reveal two short strands of pearls. Her hands were neatly folded on her knees, partially overlapping the hem of her gray linen skirt. Her black heels rested flat on the floor. Her short white hair had been slightly fluffed and, although she was obviously older, her face was mostly wrinkle-free.
Kudos to her plastic surgeon
.

I hesitated, surprised by how concerned she appeared to be. “I’m just shaken up.”

“What were you doing out here all alone?”

“I . . . ” Why hadn’t I come up with a story before now? “I was at the carpet store with my boyfriend and we had a fight over which color to pick. But he got really mad and got physical.”

She glanced down at the red marks on my arms, then up into my face. “That must have been very frightening. Where is he now?”

“I don’t know. I got scared and took off running.”

“Marco,” she called out the door. “Why don’t you call the proper authorities? And shut the door so our guest can have a bit of privacy.”

“Yes ma’am,” he said, then did as she requested.

“That’s really not necessary,” I said. “If you could just take me back to the carpet store, I can call my friend to ask her to come pick me up.”

She nodded. “If that’s what you’d prefer, dear. We’ll just sit here for a moment so you can catch your breath.”

“Thank you.” I was suddenly at a loss. While I’d succeeded in getting her to let me in the car, I couldn’t just ask her why she had been at the warehouse.

“What’s your name?” she asked before I came up with an appropriate line of questioning.

“Ellie.” I said, wishing I’d come up with an alias.

She nodded slightly. “Such a sweet nickname. Is your given name Ellen?”

“Elinor.”

A slight smile tugged at her lips. “A family name?”

“Yes.” I rubbed my arms. “I’m so lucky you happened to drive by. Don’t take this the wrong way, but I can’t imagine why someone as nice as you would be out here.”

“Business,” she said without emotion. She shifted and unfolded her hands, revealing blood splatters on her skirt.

Keep it together, Ellie
. But what if David was lying in the warehouse right now bleeding to death and I was sitting here chatting with one of the people who had injured him? I forced out a slow, deep breath. “You must be a successful businesswoman if you have a limo and driver.”

“So you live in Charlotte?” she asked, ignoring my statement. Her question had the tiniest amount of bite.

“Yes.”

“What neighborhood? We can just drop you off at your home. No need to call your friend.”

“I’m sure you wouldn’t know it.”

“I’ve lived in Charlotte my entire life and I know this city like the back of my hand. Try me.”

I stared at her.

“Ellie, why don’t you tell me why you’re really here?”

My racing heart nearly flung itself from my chest. “Excuse me?”

“You’re right. I am a businesswoman and my time is valuable. I’m sure yours is too. So why don’t we skip all of this tedious deception and cut to the chase.”

I sat up straighter and looked into her light-gray eyes. “Agreed.”

“As with every business transaction, we must come to an arrangement that benefits us both. You haven’t made any attempt to rob me, so I must surmise that you have some questions for me.”

“And what do I have that you want?”

“Ellie,” she said in a stern voice. “Or should I call you Elinor Dare Lancaster?”

My stomach dropped to my feet.

“I was going to find you soon enough, but it looks like you found me first.”

“Why would you want to find me?”

She smiled, but her eyes were cold and calculating now. “All in good time, Elinor.” She grimaced. “Forgive me, but I do hate nicknames. So uncouth.”

“It hardly seems fair that you know my name but I don’t know yours.”

“Miriam Peabody,” she said with an air of superiority, and I wondered if she expected me to take her hand and kiss the big diamond ring on her right ring finger.

Not bloody likely, as my Brit would say. But I’d do it if it would save him. “I’d say it’s nice to meet you, Ms. Peabody, but I’d be lying. You didn’t answer me before: I might want answers, but what do you want?”

“We’ll save that for later.”

“You basically want me to give you a blank check.”

A deceptively sweet smile spread across her face. “I think you really want the information I can give you. You’ll owe me something for every question you ask.”

It was tempting.

“I’ll give you one question for free.”

One question. What should I ask? “Why are you collecting weapons?”

Her smile widened. “Cut right to the heart of it, don’t you?” She laughed softly, then reached into her purse and pulled out a handkerchief. “There’s a war brewing, Elinor. It’s been predicted for over four centuries. It’s important to be prepared. And to pick the right side.”

“And which side is that?”