Page 48 of The Mastermind

As I headed to her apartment, I kept checking my phone, but there was no reply. A knot formed in my stomach. Something wasn’t right.

Our conversation yesterday seemed fine. She hadn’t seemed angry or show any sign she wanted me to stay away.

Where is she?

I called her from my car, and it rang and rang until the voicemail picked up. Nerves rattled in my stomach as the weight of unease sat on me. I knew in my gut something was wrong.

I sped to her place, not giving a damn that I ran two red lights.

CHAPTERTWENTY-THREE

AUDRI

I turned off my phone,so I could concentrate on my jewelry. After finishing an elegant pair of earrings with a cluster of aquamarine gemstones, I called it a day. I hadn’t taken time off for myself in a while, so this Sunday would be a “me” day, which meant no more work.

I got dressed and prepared to head out to the gym. The nice weather beaming through the windows changed my mind. Checking the weather on my phone, it showed sun and temperatures in the low sixties, a perfect day for a run.

Normally I’d have listened to music on my run, but today, I preferred the natural noise of the city. Not wanting any distractions during my run, I left my phone on silent, detaching myself from the electronics. In today’s world, the internet, phone, and computer were required for daily work routines. Though convenient, I depended on it too much. It felt nice to disconnect, even for a few moments.

Jogging around South Water Street, heading to Memorial Park, I passed the WaterFire art display. I couldn’t wait to see the boats on the river this year. When I made it to the park, I’d run about two miles and turned back.

“Help me!” a female voice shouted somewhere up ahead. “Get away from me!”

I rushed forward to a building with a side driveway, probably used for deliveries. A woman with red hair struggled with a man. I couldn’t see their faces since they were facing the other way.

“Hey! Let her go! I’m calling the cops!” I shouted and rushed into the driveway with several trash bins lining the brick wall. There was a car, a cleaning van, and two parked trucks farther back. I reached for my cell phone in my back pocket and dialed 9-1-1 and gave the operator the info and location.

The man should have stopped harassing the woman, knowing I’d just made the call, but he didn’t. People were so brazen these days. I tucked my cell phone back into my pocket in case I needed to use both hands to help the woman.

“Stop it!” I screamed, hoping someone around heard and came to our assistance.

The man ignored me and continued dragging the lady toward his car. She resisted and turned toward me. Something about her looked familiar.

Then they stopped fighting, and he let out a mocking laugh. They turned to face me and smirked. An icy chill snaked down my spine as I recognized them.

“What’s going on here?” I stared at Lawrence and Teresa.

I didn’t know they were together.

Saying nothing, Lawrence and Teresa each lit a cloth, then threw them into the trash bins close to me. Flames swooshed and billowed. The angry flames caught the pile of trash bags on the ground, which increased the fire, and the area became an inferno. The past rushed back, gripping my throat with its burning claws as my heart thundered and my body trembled.

The trash bin exploded, tossing out fiery debris. Something hit me, and I frantically slapped it off, trying to get away from the overwhelming heat. Something thudded to the ground near my leg. I glanced at it, and my heart quaked at the dead cat.

Screaming my lungs off, tears filled my eyes, and bile rose in my throat. With the flames burning everywhere, I reached for the poor cat,but another explosion occurred, and the powerful force sent me to the ground. Something sliced my ankle, and pain scorchedthrough me. Heat and smoke filled the area, and the stench of gas suffocated me.

I collapsed to the ground, my body in panic mode. The raging fire screamed at me, blamed me.It’s all your fault.My chest tightened as I struggled for breath. I heard Lawrence and Teresa laughing as their car screeched away.

I wanted to check on the cat because all I could see was Mochi needing me. I couldn’t help him then. Maybe I could help this cat now, but I couldn’t move. Tears burned my vision, and the pain and heat kept me shackled. I sensed my body’s systems shutting down . . .

“Miss! Miss! Stay with us. Help is coming!” Someone shook me, but I couldn’t focus. So much noise bombarded me, and I was drowning in it.

Powerful arms grabbed and lifted me. “I got you, Audri! Stay with me. It’s Remi.”

Remi? Was I hallucinating? Sirens roared in my head as I caved in to the blackout.

CHAPTERTWENTY-FOUR

REMINGTON

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