Page 56 of Defender

Somehow that didn’t reassure the woman.She began thrashing around on the floor.Damien stepped away from her.Let her rub the ropes more fully into her skin.That would help sell the story.

Damien needed the entire SWAT team out here at this apartment.That was the only way he could be sure Fitzgerald wasn’t going to deliver Summer and her daughter to the airport and plane himself.There had to be a crisis big enough that Ashton’s conscience wouldn’t allow him to turn away for personal matters—even getting his girlfriend on a plane to her sister’s house.

Fawkes would be so proud of Damien.Damien had been able to hack into Summer’s online credit card statement and see the purchased ticket himself.No secret Omega info needed.Figuring out she had a sister in Atlanta hadn’t proved difficult, either.

It was time to put the plan into action.First, he needed to call Harper.He hit Send to the man’s number, tapping his foot impatiently as it rang three, four times.

“Hello?”Harper finally answered, obviously having been sleeping.

“Mr.Harper, it’s Damien.”

“Dude, it’s like six o’clock in the morning.”

“Actually, it’s nearly eight.”

“Whatever.”

Damien shook his head.“Harper, I’m going to deliver what you need to kill Ashton Fitzgerald today.”

“You are?”Now the other man sounded much more awake.

“Indeed.I need you to meet me at your father’s house today at noon.”

“Dude, my dad’s place is all rundown.It got foreclosed on.”

All things Damien already knew.“Yes.But a fitting place, don’t you think, for Agent Fitzgerald to meet his end?Since he is ultimately responsible for the state of your father’s house.”

“Yeah, yeah, you’re right.That’s like poetry justice.”

Damien rolled his eyes.It really was time for Curtis Harper to die.“It is definitely poetic justice.I will see you at noon and will explain the plan.”

He disconnected the call before Harper could say something stupid.

Say somethingelsestupid.

And now it was time to get this show on the road.Damien got out his burner phone and dialed 911.

“911.Please state your emergency.”

“Oh my gosh!”Damien deliberately pitched his voice as high as he could, breathing rapidly in and out to add a sense of panic.“I think my neighbor’s ex-boyfriend is holding her hostage inside her apartment.He used to come here all the time and knock her around and threaten to kill her.I saw him go in there with a gun this time, screaming.Oh my gosh, should I try to help?”

“No, sir,” the respondent was quick to tell him.“Leave that to the proper authorities.Please give me the address of the apartment.”

Damien rattled off the address.“Oh my gosh, I think I might have heard two men yelling.What if that sicko brought his disgusting friend?That was why Tamara broke up with him last year, you know.I told her.”

Damien looked down at the woman on the floor, shrugging apologetically at all the ridiculous lies he was making up.

“Oh my God!”he yelled.“I just heard a gunshot.I’ve got to get out of here.”

Damien ended the call and dropped the phone near poor Tamara.He went over and made sure the drapes were tightly closed.Closed drapes would buy more time.

He walked over to the door, cracking it open and fired his gun into the ground twice.That would definitely be loud enough to gain more neighbors’ attention.911 would probably soon be getting more calls.

Damien walked over to Tamara.

“I’m sorry.It’s nothing personal.Just part of the plan.”

He shot her twice in the chest and watched her head roll to the side, dead.

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