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Chapter Sixteen

Nate

I stood there, watching Perry walk away with Delia. It was difficult letting him go. I kept the image of Delia’s righteous fury at the fore of my mind. She was itching to get her claws into Willie. If not mine, Perry was in the best hands possible.

“Don’t worry, Detective,” Malcom said calmly. “Delia will slaughter Willie if he makes a move on Perry while with her. Willie would have to be more of a masochistic fool than I currently believe if he were to try that.”

It wasn’t that I doubted Malcom’s words. It was simply difficult watching him disappear from sight.

“I know,” I answered simply. “That doesn’t make it any easier.”

“Fair enough,” Gabe agreed. “If you didn’t feel that way, Delia would have already handed your balls to you on top of a plate full of spaghetti. She probably would have stood there and made sure you ate them before she left you alone. If she let you live .” Gabe absently scratched his growing scruff, as if talking about my genital mutilation and possible demise was common conversation.

Malcom didn’t comment on Gabe’s remark. Instead, he said, “It is very like Perry to be concerned about everyone but himself.”

“Misguided though it might be,” Gabe offered, and I silently agreed.

“What’s his game?” I said, my gaze still fixed on the last place I’d seen Perry. Delia asked him to help her set up something or other for later today, and he’d jumped at the chance to do something besides stand around and worry.

“I wish I knew for certain,” Malcom answered. “I have ideas. So does Lydia.”

I finally turned my attention to Perry’s boss. “I’m all ears.” Crossing my arms over my chest, I hoped I made it clear I didn’t plan on moving from this spot until Malcom gave me something beyond vaguely worthless comments.

Malcom blinked, his face that damned expressionless mask he’d perfected. “Are you really?”

Heat crept up my neck, most likely flushing my face. “Yes, Malcom. In case you hadn’t noticed, I don’t like playing your little mindfuck games either. We both know I’ll never be as good at it as you so just say what needs saying. I’m sick and tired of seeing the effect Willie’s constant shadow is having on Perry. I agreed to come on this retreat—agreed for both of us to come—in hopes of ending this. Instead, it’s just the same old bullshit that Willie’s pulling.”

Malcom arched a single eyebrow. Gabe let loose a whistle of disbelief—or maybe it was meant as a compliment. I wasn’t sure. I wanted to punch the smirk off Malcom’s serene face but held back. I didn’t think my younger body gave me much physical advantage when it came to Malcom Johnson.

Hands stuffed into his pockets, Malcom rocked back on his heels. When he finally spoke, his tone was calm and without inflection. “I wonder if you’ve truly grasped William Slater’s intent, Detective.” When I started to say something, Malcom held up a halting hand. “Oh, I know you’ve followed the clues and traced everything you can. I’m not talking about that. I’m talking about Willie’s psyche, what drives his actions.”

My jaw grew taut while my teeth ground together. “He likes tormenting his prey. Willie plays with them before coming in for the final strike.”

“Mmhmm, that is accurate. Now, apply that theory to Perry. And keep in mind, Willie has been seething about Perry Atherton for four years. He’s had time to work up a good snit.”

“ Snit ?” I asked, incredulous.

“It’s an oddly fitting description,” Gabe apologetically answered.

I huffed and muttered “Unbelievable.”

“Be that as it may, Gabriel and I aren’t wrong. William has felt stymied when it comes to Perry for too long. Now that the chains have been released, he’s relishing the hunt. William has no interest in speeding things along simply for your convenience.”

There were no words that sounded sane enough to reply with, and so I kept my own fuming thoughts silent.

“Now,” Malcom calmly continued, “as loathsome as it may be, we need to place ourselves in William’s shoes. Lydia and I’ve discussed this at length, and while she may not have been able to reel William in the way I wished, what Dr. Schroder learned during her sessions is invaluable. We would be foolish to disregard her professional opinion.”

“And that is?” I ground out.

“That William will do everything he can to bring as much torment to Perry as possible. He wishes to impart the same kind of frustrated pain he’s imagined Perry’s existence has given him.” Shrugging, Malcom asked, “Where would the satisfaction be in directly, physically harming Perry at this point when William has so much ammunition still in his arsenal?”

I knew where Malcom was headed. His thoughts mirrored my own fears—fears which had been teased with the murdered cat Perry found. “He’ll go after those Perry cares for. Gayle is—”

“I assure you, Miss Gayle Ridley is being carefully monitored. Not all of Maverick’s employees were able to make it to the retreat.” Malcom’s lips quirked into a knowing grin. “I almost requested Gabriel stay behind but assumed the temptation on Perry would be too great and that William would follow him here. Recent events have proven that theory correct. Currently, Miss Ridley is safer than she has been in months.”

Tension eased from my shoulders. “Thank you. Nat was going to check in with her, but she can’t watch Gayle twenty-four-seven.”

“Thankfully, my resources are different than yours, Detective.”

I didn’t want to get into what those resources truly entailed and let the comment slide.

“So, excluding Miss Ridley, there is one very juicy target I doubt William will be able to resist. Who can he harm that will cause Perry the most pain?”

My blink this time was slow. It wasn’t like I hadn’t considered I was a target. “Me,” I answered easily.

“All too correct,” Malcom solemnly agreed. Shifting closer, Malcom clasped his hands behind his back as his gaze clashed with mine. “He’ll come for you, Detective. And when he does, you need to allow yourself to be taken.”

My jerk was reflexive. “Why in the hell would I do that? If Willie comes at me, all bets are off. I’ll fight that fucker, and—”

“You will lose.” Gabe’s tone was soft but firm. Before I could argue, Gabe said, “Think about it for a minute. You’re not as vicious as Willie.” Tapping his temple, Gabe added, “There’s strength in insanity, in not giving a fuck. Willie is a different breed, one that I doubt any of us can defeat singularly. Even Delia will admit that and she’s got the best chance against him. That stunt with the cat wasn’t just aimed at Perry. Did you see how livid Delia was? Calm, cool, collected, and lethally to the point, that’s Delia Carpenter’s superpower. Her past may fuel her actions, but it doesn’t light a fire under it. Delia doesn’t get flustered. She doesn’t allow sentiment to get in the way of logical planning. Violence against humans is one thing. Animals are another.”

“Gabriel is correct. Delia does have a soft spot for those who cannot protect themselves, for the innocent victim. Perry fits nicely into that protective wall Delia’s built. She feels similarly towards animals. Willie’s trespass has unbalanced Delia, and she knows it. Delia’s rage has placed her at a disadvantage, just as William planned.”

Queasiness filled my stomach, and bile inched up my throat. “You’re telling me that Willie is a better assassin than Delia?”

Malcom tutted. “No, what I am telling you is that currently, William Slater is a better insurance agent than Delia.”

I rolled my eyes. Malcom would continue playing his protective games. I could either let them get to me or push past the irritation.

Gabe touched my bicep just enough to grab my attention. “The situation is shit. We all know that. What we also know is that Willie needs to be fired in the worst way. The best shot we have is if we work together. Could one of us alone get the job done?” Gabe shrugged. “Maybe, but I don’t like our odds. Willie could pick us off one at a time. The best option is a group attack. And to do that, we need bait.”

I sneered. “I thought Perry was the bait.”

My words were met with Malcom’s condescending chuckle. “You’re not a bad detective, simply not as deceitful as the situation calls for. There are different types of bait, and Perry certainly fits the bill, but he wasn’t simply acting that role for William.”

I wanted to smack my forehead as realization slammed into me. “He was bait for me too.”

“I hardly believe you would have come to one of our little retreats by yourself. You’re not even an employee.” Malcom sounded exceedingly proud of himself. “It took a little convincing with the other executives, but they saw the wisdom in my plan, and besides, a retreat was just what the rest of the office needed. So many birds with so few stones.”

A quick glance in Gabe’s direction told me I’d get no support there. Instead, Gabe was staring up at Malcom with hearts and stars in his eyes. “And this is exactly why I agreed to change companies.”

“Christ.” I dragged my hands over my face. “You really want me to just lie down and let Willie drag me away? What if he decides to put a bullet in my head instead of kidnapping me?”

“Admittedly, that is a possibility,” Malcom answered a little too calmly. “Don’t look so alarmed, Detective. Your death would cause Perry too much harm to be useful to me. And no, I don’t expect you to simply lie down and allow William to do as he wishes. That would cause too much suspicion. I expect you to fight back. What I also expect you to do is to do so with reason. Do not push William to the point where he believes killing you would be better than using you to taunt Perry.”

I was back to gritting my teeth. At this rate, if I made it through the next few days, I’d need to schedule a visit with my dentist. “You think he’ll use me to lure Perry to him.”

“Undoubtedly,” Malcom easily agreed. “And Perry, being Perry, will go. He’ll follow Willie’s rules to the letter, and most likely not inform any of us you’ve been taken and the danger you are both in. Perry won’t want to put any of us in further danger, and he will not wish to risk you. It will be a foolish decision, but one we can work to our advantage.”

Exhaustion slammed into me. My mind was too tired to deal with this and yet I had to focus. “And how do you plan on finding us? If Perry doesn’t tell you anything and if he slips away, then your plan is moot.”

“It is possible. Surveillance on the two of you has proven nearly useless. William is very skilled. It is one of the main reasons he was hired. Unfortunately, those abilities are now being used against us. He has a knack for evading our watchful eyes. I doubt any of us will know when you are taken, although my employees have been informed that if they do witness the abduction, they are not to interfere.”

“Great,” I mumbled, feeling anything but wonderful.

“I don’t think I’ve mentioned what our group activity later today will be,” Malcom said, seemingly changing the topic.

“What does that have to do with—”

“Wristbands, Detective.” Malcom pulled a plastic band from his pocket and held it up. This one was colored blue. “Simple enough. You’ll need them for the next few challenges. Once placed, they can only be cut off, so employees will be expected to wear them for the remainder of the retreat.”

I examined the band. It resembled something they attached to your wrist when you were in the hospital. “I’m assuming there’s more to the band than meets the eye.”

“A very astute assumption. Gabriel.”

Gabe shifted forward, head bent and voice hushed. “It’s got a tracking chip. Nothing fancy, but it will get the job done.”

“And you don’t think Willie will consider that?” If he was as smart as everyone kept telling me, there was no way he was going keep that thing on my wrist when he hauled me off to who the fuck knew where. “It will be the first thing he removes.”

“Most likely,” Gabe answered. “But Perry will still be wearing his, and Malcom will get an alert if the connection is severed. It will be our cue to muster the troops.”

“That…makes a devious type of sense.” I stared at the flimsy plastic. “And you’ll follow Perry. What if Willie instructs Perry to take it off before he comes for me?”

“An excellent point, Detective. We will just need to make certain Perry understands that even if he has to remove the band from his wrist, he’s not to leave it behind. There are other places to hide it, places Willie won’t bother to look.”

“And if Perry’s too afraid to do even that?” I could see him hedging, especially if that were part of Willie’s explicit instructions.

Malcom’s smirk was back in full force. “I trust you will find a way to convey the importance of keeping the band with him.”

I thought Malcom overestimated my persuasive abilities. It was a difficult balancing act. While Perry understood what was going on and that Malcom, Delia, and Gabe were also aware of the situation, he didn’t fully comprehend the extent of their involvement. As time progressed, I increasingly regretted my decision to keep the truth from Perry.

“I’ll see what I can do,” I finally answered. That was all I could do. “Do all the bands have tracking chips?”

“No,” Gabe answered. “Just yours and Perry’s.” He pulled out a second band and handed both to me. “Just so you know, yours are special. All the bands have microchips, but yours have special tracking chips also. Your bands will work for the challenges.” Gabe’s grin crinkled his eyes and lit his face. “I’ve been told ice cream is one of the rewards. I’d hate for the two of you to miss out due to faulty bands.”

I couldn’t stop staring, amazed that missing out on an ice cream treat was what currently concerned Gabe.

Malcom shifted closer, and I fought every instinct within me to take a step back. “This will be over very soon, Detective. No one has evaded firing for this long. It’s bad for morale. I intend to make an example of Mr. Slater. One that our employees would be wise to take to heart.”

The wristbands felt heavy in my hand. When this was over and Willie was no longer a threat, I needed to find a way to get Perry out of Maverick Insurance’s influence. I had no idea how I was going to accomplish that feat, only that I needed to find a way. I didn’t want to find out what would happen if Malcom’s affections for Perry shifted or if he became more liability than asset.

I felt like a clock was in the background, ominously ticking away, counting down the seconds Perry remained within Malcom’s good graces.