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Gripping his hand a little tighter,she was more determined than ever before.
The elevator doors opened, and shewalked beside Gash, her steps sure.
They got to the room number, and they bothpaused as nailed to the door was a single white envelope with thenames Gash and Charlotte, in fancy writing.
With Gash’s arms full, Charlottegrabbed the envelope opening it.Inside was a folded piece of paperand a key.
Taking out the paper, she unfoldedit.
“Come in.That’s all it says.”She took out the key and held it up to Gash.“This doesn’t feelright.”
“I know.Get behind me.”Gashremoved his bag, opened it up, and she saw several guns, andsomething rolled up, which looked like some medical tools.Shewasn’t even going to think about that.
He checked the gun for bullets, andshe guessed he got it ready for firing.She wasn’t any kind ofexpert on guns.
“Grab the bag, and staybehind me.”He took the key, sliding it into the lock.
Her stomach twisted as the dooropened.Gash entered the room, and hauling the bag on her shoulder,she followed him.
Once there was enough room, she closedthe door, using her foot to kick it shut.
Following behind Gash, she made surethere were several steps between them.
“Holy shit,” Gash said,stopping.
“What is it?”she asked,moving to look past his shoulder.
Charlotte wished she hadn’t.On the diningroom table lay a woman.She had been nailed with her arms eitherside of her hand.The woman’s legs were spread, and she was naked.Her feet also had nails, keeping her attached to thetable.
She knew without a doubtthatit wasRebecca.The single birthmark on the ankle was one sign, as was theoriginal passport that had been stabbed into her forehead.It was abrutal, violent, and bloody kill.
Unable to help it, Charlotte dropped thebag, and threw up the breakfast that she had eaten thatmorning.
“Not a good sight, isit?”
That voice had haunted her for sevenyears.
Wiping the back of her mouth,Charlotte turned toward the noise.She’d not even noticed it as shecame in.Against the fake fireplace, Jeff was bound to a chair.Hedidn’t look much better than Rebecca, but he was alive.
Gash took hold of her hand, forcingher to get behind him.“Who’s here?”
Jeff laughed.“He’s long gone now.Came inas if we were old pals.I should have known the truth.He had abottle of scotch, and was talking about another job he might havefor us.The bastard hadn’t been here in seven years, and I shouldhave known something was wrong.”Jeff gritted his teeth and triedto fight the restraints.“He fucking drugged us.”He started toshout now, and Charlotte cringed as he kept on fighting andyelling.“He made me watch what he did to her, and all the time, hewas laughing.Told me that I was going to be next, but he was goingto leave me to someone from my past.He kept her alive for most ofit.She was screaming, begging for me to help, and I couldn’t doshit.”
Charlotte stared at the messthat was once Rebecca, and she felt sick to her stomach again.Rebeccadidn’t have a nice ending but a hard one, one that was fuckingdisgusting.
“Who did you work for?”Gash asked, movingtoward him.
Jeff smiled.“You really thinkthat’s going to work?I’m dead either way.”
Charlotte forced herself to move andlooked behind Jeff.The chair he was sitting on was wired up, andshe saw a countdown.“He’s going to blow up,” she said.
Gash looked toward her, thenJeff.
“Master and Sir do have away to make a point, don’t they?”
“Master andSir?”
“Yep.There’s no point keeping ita secret, especially as he left you a note.”Jeff nodded toward thecoffee table in the sitting room.Charlotte moved carefully acrossthe apartment floor, and picked up the single envelope.