Web of Justice (25 page)

He snickered and aimed down the barrel of the rifle. “Bang! Bang!” He lowered the weapon. “I think I’m gonna enjoy this.”

“Then you might as well get it over with,” Jake said.

“Soon enough.” Carter lifted his shirt, revealing a pistol tucked into his waistband. He removed it and handed it to Izzy. “Go watch the girls while I take care of this guy.”

Izzy took the gun, hefted it in his hand, and feigned a shot toward Jake.

“Go now,” Carter said. “Do what I say.” He pointed a stern finger. “And don’t hurt Ms. Krunk, whatever happens. Do you hear me? She gets to go free after this is all over.”

Izzy nodded. “What about the other one?”

“Only if she gets uppity. I’d rather do it myself. Just don’t let them leave.” He pointed toward the back door. “Go. I’ve got work to do.”

Izzy breathed on the gun and buffed it on his sleeve, then sighted down the barrel. A grin twisted his face, then he strode out the back door, closing it softly behind him.

Jake had to make a move, and make it soon. Annie was in imminent danger, unmindful of what was going on in the nearby unit, and unaware a madman was on his way toward her. And Izzy Wilde was nuts.

“You don’t have to worry about your wife,” Carter said in an offhand manner. “At least, not yet. My brother doesn’t have the guts to kill anyone.”

“The girl in the park, and the one in the graveyard—?”

“Both girls were my handiwork,” Carter said. “He catches them and I do the deed. Shaving their head’s an added touch he likes to do.” He shook his head. “He’s strange, you know. He even mailed a box of hair to the cops a couple of times. Said it makes him feel better. Has a thing about black hair and dark brown eyes. Claims it’s because our mother had the same, and he thinks he sees her everywhere.” He threw his head back and laughed. “The nut even insisted on shaving our mother bald before I killed her.”

“They said you were at a friend’s house.”

Carter shrugged. “I was. But with all those people hanging around, it wasn’t hard for me to sneak away for a few minutes.”

Jake stalled for time, digging for something else to say. Anything that would catch the killer off guard. “A lot of people thought your father killed your mother,” he said. “According to some of the reports.”

Carter looked at Jake with a close-lipped smile. “My father? That’s a good one. He’s buried deep in the backyard. Came snooping around when he found out my mother was dead. Wanted to take the house away from us.” He shook his head. “Never. Wasn’t his.” He sighed lightly.

“So you killed him?”

“Had to. The man was no good, anyway.” Carter had a faraway look as he continued. “But I owe him a lot. He’s the one who taught me how to keep women in their place.” Carter laughed. “At first, I wasn’t too keen on seeing him beat my mother up all the time, but he made me watch, and after a while I saw how much fun it was. Then he let me join in.” He chuckled. “Mom put a quick stop to it after my father left. Temporarily, that is. She eventually got what she deserved for driving him away and tearing the family apart.”

Carter took a deep breath, lowered his eyes, and Jake leaped forward. He collided with the gunman and both men fell heavily. Jake spun his head to face Carter. The man lay on the floor, an expression of pain on his face, still clinging to the gun as though the thing was tied to his arm. Jake rolled sideways as a shot rang out.

“Stop.”

Jake turned his head. He’d miscalculated the maniac’s agility. The barrel of the gun was inches away, the shooter’s finger on the trigger.

“Get up.”

Jake kept one eye on the gun and climbed to his feet.

Carter scrambled backwards like a clam, then he stood up and stepped back. He gripped the rifle in one hand and brushed himself off with the other, keeping a wary eye on Jake. “Next time I’ll kill you on the spot.” He nodded toward the door. “Now get going. I’ll take care of your wife later.”

Jake didn’t move, still stalling for time, waiting for another opportunity. “What about Lisa?”

Carter chuckled. “Ms. Krunk thinks I’m a hero, and Izzy knows exactly what to do. After I’m done with you, I’ll join my brother, then I’ll manage to rescue Ms. Krunk. Knowing her, she’ll run when she gets the chance.” He shrugged. “Then I’ll take care of Annie and be gone before Ms. Krunk manages to get the police here.”

Carter patted the rifle, then laughed long and hard. “Then I’ll truly be her hero, and Izzy’ll still be on the run. Just like before. He’ll get the credit for killing the two of you like he wants, and I’ll continue to protect him. Then Ms. Krunk and I will be free to pursue a relationship.”

The thought of Lisa in a relationship with Carter Wilde would’ve made Jake laugh under different circumstances. But right now, it was a matter of life or death, perhaps for both him and Annie. “You can’t protect your brother forever,” he said. “Once the police get ahold of him, he’ll talk.”

“I doubt that. You see, my little brother looks up to me. He’s always wanted to be like his older brother, but he doesn’t have the nerve to draw blood. That’s my job. But in his sick mind, he believes it’s him. And who’s gonna think otherwise?” He touched his temple with his forefinger. “He’s nuts.”

Jake glared into Carter’s fiery eyes, then down at the weapon in his hand. He’d underestimated Wilde a moment ago. If he got another chance, he wasn’t about to blow it again and get himself shot.

“And now, it’s time to get this over with,” Carter said, motioning toward the front of the unit with the rifle. “Ms. Krunk is waiting for me.”

Chapter 41

Friday, 11:12 a.m.

ANNIE STOOD AND glanced at her watch for the umpteenth time. It’d been more than half an hour since Carter had called the police, and though response times were often slow, she’d expected to hear approaching sirens by now.

She looked over at Lisa, pacing the floor twenty feet away. The newswoman ran a hand over her bristling hair. It didn’t help. Her attempts to lessen her bizarre appearance by turning up her collar hadn’t made a difference, either. Annie stifled a smile and turned away.

The rear door of the building slammed open and Annie spun around. Izzy Wilde stepped inside, brandishing a pistol in one hand. He stopped, his lips twisted into a sneer, and aimed the weapon at Annie.

“I’m back,” he said in a mocking tone.

Where was Jake? And Carter? Surely her husband couldn’t be far behind the fugitive.

Annie raised her hands halfway up and stepped back as the gunman moved closer. Then he stopped and turned toward Lisa. Annie’s eyes followed his gaze. The woman was beyond fear, beyond anger, and she appeared ready to disregard all danger to herself as she strode bravely toward the killer.

Izzy swung the gun toward Lisa, his finger on the trigger. “You better stay back.”

Lisa’s common sense took over. She came to a stop ten feet from Wilde and crossed her arms, her eyes burning with hatred.

Annie glanced toward the open door. It was twenty feet away, but there was a possibility she could make it through safely before Izzy could react. She banished the thought. It would be cowardly to leave Lisa alone at the mercy of a sadistic fiend.

She took a couple of careful steps sideways, attempting to put distance between her and the gunman.

Izzy spun back toward her. “Stand still,” he said, his voice a low growl. “There’s no reason not to shoot you.”

Annie stopped and raised her chin. “You wouldn’t be able to get both of us.”

Izzy frowned, his deep-set eyes sinking even further into their sockets. “Maybe not, but you wanna take a chance?”

“Jake’ll be here soon,” Annie said in an unsure voice.

Izzy laughed. “Jake ain’t coming. He’s a little busy.”

“Your brother isn’t protecting you anymore,” Annie said. “And he has your rifle.” She looked at the pistol again. Where’d it come from? As far as she knew, he hadn’t been carrying an additional weapon earlier. He might’ve had it stashed behind his back.

And where was Carter?

Izzy’s grin became a sneer, and he opened his mouth to speak, then closed it again. Then he snickered, almost like a cackle. It ended as a snort, then his face sobered and he waved the weapon toward Lisa and spoke with a low snarl. “Get over here. I want you two together so I can keep an eye on you. Any funny stuff and I’ll shoot you both stone dead.”

Lisa hesitated, then raised her nose and strode toward Annie. She stopped, turned her back to the wall, and glared at Izzy, who moved in and stopped a few feet away. Lisa stood unmoving, her hands on her hips, a defiant expression on her face.

What was he waiting for? Something was out of place. If he was going to kill them, why was he hesitating? Annie glanced toward her handbag, sitting on the floor beside the crate where they’d been resting earlier. Her cell phone was in her bag, along with a small container of pepper spray, both hopelessly out of reach.

Izzy followed her glance. “The police ain’t coming.”

What was he talking about? Did he know something she didn’t, and was that why he still had a cocky attitude? He didn’t seem in any hurry to make an escape before the police arrived.

Annie frowned and a feeling of dread washed over her.

Something had happened to Jake.

Izzy continued, “I called the cops back and canceled the call. Told them it was a false alarm.” He smiled. “Oh, and I guess you’re wondering about Carter and your husband.” He waved a hand. “They’ve gone the other way.” He shrugged. “I expect they’ll be back, and then I’ll clean up this little mess you made.”

Izzy was lying. Annie was sure of it. And there was something he wasn’t telling them. Something that didn’t make sense about the situation.

Lisa spoke. “I told my cameraman to call the police if I wasn’t back by eleven. He knows where I am.”

Izzy chuckled. “You can’t fool me. I didn’t give you the location until you were driving here, and the only person you talked to on the phone on the way here was Jake. Ain’t nobody knows where you are.”

Lisa took a step toward him. “Then why not finish the job now?”

Izzy’s gun hand wavered and he stepped back. “Can’t yet.”

“Lisa, don’t,” Annie said.

Lisa paid no attention and took another step forward. “Why not?”

“Just can’t, that’s all.” He glanced toward the door, then raised the pistol and sighted down the barrel toward Lisa. His hand shook, and his eyes darted back and forth between Lisa and Annie. “Both of you. Stay back.”

Izzy’s eyes showed an uncharacteristic uncertainty. His voice trembled and he shuffled backwards.

Annie soon discovered Lisa had noticed Izzy’s odd demeanor as well. Without hesitation, Lisa dashed forward and made a perfect closed-fist swing toward the startled man’s jaw. Her fist connected with a crunch and Izzy went to his knees. The pistol hit the floor and bounced out of reach.

The killer blinked and shook his head, then dove for the weapon. Annie moved in. Her foot connected with the pistol and sent it clattering across the concrete floor.

Lisa pounced on her dazed foe, utilizing all of her pent-up anger as she beat mercilessly at him with her fists. He attempted to ward off her blows with one hand while the other reached for his attacker’s throat. His fingers tightened, and Lisa gasped and struggled for air.

Annie dove for the pistol, then spun into a crouch and rammed the barrel of the gun into the side of Izzy’s head. “I’m not afraid to shoot you.”

Izzy’s hand slackened and fell away from Lisa’s throat. He emitted a low growl and lay still, fear growing in his eyes as he trained them on Annie’s determined face. He breathed heavily, not daring to move.

“You can get up now,” Annie said to Lisa. “He’s not going anywhere.”

Lisa glared at the subdued killer, then, panting for air, she came to her feet and attempted to compose herself.

Annie stood and backed up to a safe distance, keeping the weapon trained on the man’s head.

“It ain’t over,” he said in a low voice as he stood and glanced toward the door. “It ain’t over yet.”

Annie pointed. “Sit against the wall and keep your mouth shut.”

Izzy cast her a look of hatred, then slunk toward the wall and sat down. He leaned his head back against the concrete, his hands resting on his bent knees, and remained quiet.

Annie turned to Lisa. “Can you handle a pistol?”

Lisa nodded and gave Annie a wry smile. “I’m pretty sure if I pull the trigger, anything standing in front of the gun will get a bullet in it.”

Annie chuckled and handed her the weapon. “Good enough. Watch him while I call the police.”

Lisa took the gun, wrapped her finger around the trigger, and aimed it at the man who had tortured her. “Look who’s in control now,” she said.

Izzy turned his head away a moment, then looked back at Lisa and cowered against the wall as she moved closer.

“I have half a notion to shoot you now,” the angry newswoman said in a menacing tone. “Who would care? No one would know it wasn’t self-defense, and there’s no doubt I’d get away with it.” She gave a short laugh. “Besides, I might enjoy it.”

“You wouldn’t dare.”

“Try me. You’ll soon find out.”

Annie studied Lisa’s face and concluded it was an empty threat. However, if Izzy attempted to escape, Annie felt sure there was a distinct likelihood the furious woman could follow through on her warning.

Annie figured she wouldn’t lose any sleep over it either way.

She recovered her handbag and dialed Hank’s number. When the cop answered, she gave him a rundown on what had transpired in as few words as possible. Hank promised he’d contact dispatch and get them to send a car at once. He was a few minutes away and would be there shortly as well.

Annie dialed Jake’s number, and her concern deepened when the call went to voicemail. She hung up and turned to Lisa. “I need to find Jake.” She pointed at the cowering killer. “You can shoot him if you need to.”

Lisa stood stock still, her legs anchored in an immovable stance. She held the gun motionless, aimed at the killer’s heart, with a cross between a determined smile and a look of victory on her face.