Part 10 (1/2)

Nineteen.

Finnley had a few appointments in the afternoon and couldn't leave work. Abbot drove me home, and I barely said a word to him. Not prying or forcing me to speak when I didn't want to was one of his better qualities. I didn't even care that he was driving way too fast downtown, or that the pavement was slick from rain. Nothing really mattered, other than the fact I had a sister. Finnley had arranged for Charlie to take Caitlyn around town and pay for whatever she needed. She had refused, but he had insisted, and being as persistent as he was, he'd won. His secretary cancelled her stay at the Bellagio, and she was set to arrive at our house at six, which meant I had four hours to compose myself.

I couldn't think of anything else.

”Holy f.u.c.k,” Abbot yelled and jerked the wheel off the road. My seatbelt locked, and I was instantly in panic mode. Dust lifted from the road as the car spun around. I turned my head to try and figure out what had happened. A black van had swerved halfway off the road and then sped up.

”I don't f.u.c.king think so,” Abbot said. He slammed on the gas pedal, spitting rocks and dust in our wake. ”Call Finnley,” he said and threw the cellphone toward me. I picked it up with shaky hands and dialed Finnley's number. He answered on the first ring.

”Someone just ran us off the road. s.h.i.+t,” I said.

Abbot pulled a gun from inside his coat. It had a silencer on the end. He racked the slide and it clicked.

”Jennifer. What is going on?” Finnley sounded calm, but I knew him better than that.

We were only a few feet behind the van, following it, tailing it. It swerved off the road, and the rear tires shot gravel at the car. Abbot rolled down the window and aimed the gun out.

”Hold on to the wheel, Jennifer. Keep it steady. Don't f.u.c.king let go of it no matter what,” he said.

I dropped the phone in my lap and steered from the pa.s.senger side. Abbot let go of the wheel and placed both hands on the gun, aimed, and fired. Direct hit on the back tire.

He sat back down in the car and grabbed the steering wheel as the van spun off the road. I could hear Finnley yelling on the phone, and I picked it up with shaky hands.

”Jennifer!” he said.

”Finnley. We are on Highway 95.”

”I'm here, baby. I'm right here. I'm heading that way.”

The van slammed into a telephone pole on the side of the road. Smoke rose from the hood. My heart raced as Abbot slammed on the brakes and made a U-turn. Then he turned and looked at me.

”Now listen. Climb in the driver's seat, and if something happens to me, you drive the f.u.c.k away. You drive fast. You got it?”

I nodded.

”I don't give a s.h.i.+t what happens. Do not get out of this car. You drive away.” Abbot searched my face. I nodded again.

”What did he say?” Finnley asked.

As soon as Abbot exited, I climbed behind the steering wheel and watched as he stood confidently behind the van. He held the gun to his chest with one finger on the trigger and peeked inside the back, tinted windows. I slid farther down in the seat just in case something happened.

”Finn. I'm here. Abbot just got out of the car.” My voice shook and was barely over a whisper.

”Listen to Abbot. He knows what he is doing. You're safe with him. I'm leaving right now and I promise I'll find you.”

Abbot tried to open the back door, but it was locked. He stayed low as he went around to the driver's side. With his elbow, he broke the gla.s.s, unlocked the door, and pulled a man out and onto the ground. Blood dripped from the man's forehead, but Abbot didn't seem to care. I don't think he had the ”taking prisoners” type of mindset. He grabbed the man by his collar and slammed him harder to the ground. Abbot yelled something, but I couldn't hear a word he said. Not one word. I could only hear the ringing in my ears. Then I watched as Abbot placed his gun to the man's temple and pulled the trigger.

I dropped the phone.

I covered my mouth and screamed. Abbot picked the man's pockets and pulled out a cellphone and wallet. Then I watched as three men burst from the back of the van and waited for Abbot. From what I could tell, they were carrying knives, and one had his gun drawn. Before Abbot could tuck the gun back into the holster strapped to his chest, the men rushed around the van. Abbot heard their feet pus.h.i.+ng gravel, so he placed his back against the metal of the van and c.o.c.ked his gun. He rushed around the other side and aimed his weapon. It all happened so fast; the three men didn't even get to see their killer's face.

Before Abbot came to the car, he opened the back of the van. It was stacked high with explosives. After a few minutes, he was running toward the car screaming for me to drive. He jumped inside and screamed at me, ”Get the f.u.c.k out of here now.”

I didn't hesitate and slammed on the gas.

A boom echoed around us as pieces of metal flew and fell. In the distance, flames and black smoke rose to the sky.

Abbot buckled his seatbelt and shook his head. ”It doesn't matter where I go in this f.u.c.kin' world, the sc.u.m are always the f.u.c.kin' same.” His nostrils flared as he sucked in deep breaths.

I pulled over on the side of the road and leaned against the steering wheel. Abbot's cellphone rang and he picked it up.

”We're fine.” Abbot laughed. He was the calm before the storm. ”Some a.r.s.ehole was driving a van full of explosives and tried to run us off the road. I know we were the targets, maybe even the Elite building. Guess he didn't realize I live for this s.h.i.+t.”

Today was too much for me to handle. I could hear Finnley saying something on the other line but couldn't make it out.

”She's fine. I'm bringing her there now. I'll keep you updated with what I find,” Abbot said then hung up.

”I'll drive,” he said.

I didn't move.

”Jenn. Seriously. Trade me before someone else comes after us.”

I sprang into action, and we switched places. The entire way back I was on high alert, panicked almost. My nerves were shot. My emotions ran loose while my heart hammered. I spiraled into a pit of memories of being taken. Jesse was after me.

”Cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant never taste of death but once. Of all the wonders that I yet have heard, it seems to me most strange that men should fear; Seeing that death, a necessary end, will come when it will come,” Abbot said as he drove forward.

”Shakespeare,” I whispered.

His eyes never left the road. We pulled up to the house, and I couldn't do anything but try to process what had happened.

Abbot turned to me. ”Are you okay? Jennifer, are you okay?”

I turned toward him. I never noticed his eyes were blue, dark blue, with little specs of darker blue in his irises. I think it was the first time that I had really looked at him and seen who and what he was: a killer.

”Are you okay?” he asked again.

Three knocks on the window caused me to jump. I gasped for air.

”I think she's in shock,” Abbot said. ”She needs to go inside.”

Finnley pulled me out of the car and walked me up the stairs. He undressed me down to my bra and panties, then unfolded the blankets from the bed and laid me down. Then he crawled in next to me and held me. Together we were two pieces of different puzzles that fit perfectly together.

Not a word was muttered. I closed my eyes and tried to forget the men who had died today. To forget the look on Abbot's face, or how he felt no remorse after he had ended them. He made it seem easy, like he didn't have to process what he was doing. Abbot was a robotic killer with the motions of murder memorized.