Page 154 of Seven Deadly Sins

After showers, and a short time of watching something mindless on TV, they both went to their rooms. Liam lay on his back, staring at the ceiling. One question hovered over him.

Did the release of Amber Barker mean Thompson had moved on to the last and final sin? Had they finally entered the final countdown?

How much time did they have before they met Thompson face-to-face?

Chapter Ten

A pounding onher door popped her eyes open. Before Harper could sit up, a shirtless Liam stood next to her bed.

She blinked several times unsure whether she still slept. He called her name. “What?”

“Thompson is about to give a speech and wants to make sure we’re watching. He’s sent both of us several texts. Come on. We’ll watch in the living room.” He yanked the sheet off her, then marched from her room.

She’d slept so hard she hadn’t heard her phone buzzing around on her nightstand. Five texts from Robert all demanding that she respond immediately to let him know she was watching the live feed. She sent a quick reply and padded barefoot to where Liam waited. “Sorry. I was sleeping hard.” She fell onto the sofa next to him and stared at the screen.

Robert sat on a plaid sofa. Behind him appeared to be a wall made from logs. “Finally, our sleepy detective has joined us. Listen carefully, all of you.

“The time for games is over. It’s time to build my army and proceed with my quest.” He folded his hands on a table in front of him and kept his gaze locked on the camera. “For those of you who see my vision, I’m inviting you to come to the parking lot of the empty strip mall on the east side of Harrington tonight at nine p.m. Bring only what will fit in your vehicle. You may pull a trailer if you so desire. Bring what food you may have. Make sure your gas tank is full. We are busy preparing a place for you.”

He smiled. “As for our esteemed law enforcement, if any of you show your face at our meeting from either the ground or the air, the consequences to the public will be severe.” He leaned closer to the camera. “My dear detective. Agent McConnell. Your time has come. Tomorrow morning ushers in the last and final sin. Anger. The very sin, I’ve saved for the two of you.”

Harper gripped Liam’s hand. This was going to finally be over. Her blood turned to ice in her veins. Good or bad, it would be finished. She rested her head on his shoulder wanting so much to tell him of her feelings for him. She couldn’t. She had to stick to keeping things on a professional level.

When the danger to them came, neither one of them could afford to be distracted. She straightened and glanced up to see his warm gaze on her. He cupped her face briefly, then scooted a few inches away as if reading her mind.

She sighed and turned her attention back to Robert as he droned on about a new world and how his followers would be held in high esteem. The man really was delusional.

“Our new world will need people of all skills and social class. We’re starting fresh with our very own garden of Eden.”

More like garden of evil. “If he’s preparing to house an army, he needs a lot of space.” She shot Liam a glance. “Somewhere without a large, populated city.”

“Again, somewhere on the mountain. A valley.”

She nodded. “He’s managed to camouflage whatever structures have been erected.” Hope rose in her. Knowing a little more of what they were looking for gave them an advantage. Robert’s arrogance wouldn’t allow him to believe they might possibly find him before he could make a move toward them.

“I’ll let the other agents know. They’ll need to fly lower, study the landscape with fresh eyes. We’ll continue our search on the ground.” He grinned and stood. “Come what may, the longest case of my career is almost over.”

She glanced at the television as the screen went black as Robert told them there would be no more live feeds. A new text from Robert came through to her phone.

This number will now no longer work.

They would be in the dark until he contacted them. Frigid fingers trailed down her spine. He would be coming for them.

Deadly Anger

Cynthia Hickey

“Anger has a way of seeping into every other emotion and planting itself in there.”

Chapter One

Harper stared atthe camera footage of, at last count, twenty vehicles gather at the place designated by Robert. Most pulled trailers, a few RVs. She’d bet her badge they were all in possession of firearms.

“Doesn’t take much to draw out the rednecks.” The chief crossed his arms. Most were just waiting for a reason and a cause to shoot somebody.”

“Will Robert consider the news reporters as being eyes on the ground?” She glanced up. “He was pretty adamant about us not being there.”

“I think he’ll want us to see what we’re up against. Keep your phone close. He’s going to want you and Liam to come out at some point.” He marched away, shoulders slumped under the weight of trying to keep a city safe.