“Uh.”
“Go to sleep, Simon. We’ve got a long drive ahead of us tomorrow.”
Chapter 45
Angela Merryweather took one look at the couple standing on her doorstep and knew that Luther Pell had kept his promise. She opened the door.
“Come in, Mr. Pell,” she said. “It is very good to see you again.”
“Thank you,” Luther said. “This is Raina Kirk, the lady I was searching for when I spoke with you.”
Angela smiled. “I’m so glad you are safe, Miss Kirk. Will you come in and have coffee? My housekeeper doesn’t come in until the afternoon, but I made a fresh pot a few minutes ago.”
“Please call me Raina. Coffee sounds lovely. It’s been a long drive from Labyrinth Springs, and we have another two hours on the road ahead of us. We are on our way home to Burning Cove.”
The warmth in her voice when she said the wordsWe are on our way hometold Angela everything she needed to know about the relationship between Luther Pell and Raina Kirk.
It’s time for me to find a home of my own,Angela thought.
She led the way into the living room and went into the kitchen to get the coffee things. She carried the silver tray back into the other room and set it on the low table in front of the sofa.
“The Labyrinth Springs news made the morning papers here in Pasadena and, I’m sure, everywhere else in the Los Angeles area,” she said. “It was on the radio, too.” She poured three cups of coffee and handed one to Raina. “Something about special agents of the FBI working undercover to help the local police break up a drug ring operating out of the hotel and spa. There was no mention of the kidnappings or the victims. I don’t mind telling you that I feel as if I can breathe again.”
“We can both breathe again,” Raina said. She smiled. “Luther has a gift for you.”
Angela looked at Luther, hardly daring to hope. “You found the photos?”
“And the negatives,” Luther said. He handed her an envelope. “I destroyed the others but I thought you might like to burn these yourself.”
Angela took the envelope. Tears burned in her eyes. “I don’t know how to thank you.”
“You don’t owe me any thanks,” Luther said. “I am in your debt. The information you gave me helped us find Miss Kirk in time. They were preparing to kill her. The last time I was here I told you that if you ever need a favor of the sort that I can provide, you have only to ask. That offer stands.”
Angela gave him a tremulous smile. “Thank you.”
They drank coffee together while Luther and Raina gave her the details of the events in Labyrinth Springs.
Forty minutes later Angela stood on the doorstep and watched Luther get into one of the two speedsters parked at the curb. Raina got into the other vehicle. Both cars pulled away and drove off down the street.
Going home to Burning Cove.
When the cars disappeared around the corner Angela went back inside the cold mansion and headed for the kitchen. She dumped the negatives and the two sets of prints into the sink and went back into the living room to get Bradley’s gold-plated cigarette lighter.
She returned to the kitchen and set fire to each print. Then she burned the negatives. When the ashes cooled she collected them and took them into the bathroom to flush down the toilet.
Afterward she went into her bedroom and packed up the essentials. She ignored the clothes and shoes that had been purchased with the goal of entertaining Bradley’s business associates and political friends.
She was hoisting the last suitcase into the trunk of her car when Bradley pulled into the driveway. He climbed out of his speedster and started toward the front door.
“I just came home to change clothes,” he said over his shoulder. “Got an important meeting at the L.A. office.”
“Take your time,” Angela said. “I won’t be here when you get back.”
“What?” Startled, he turned around in time to see her shut the lid of the trunk on the four suitcases inside. “Where do you think you’re going?”
“Reno. Six weeks from now I’ll be a single, legally divorced woman. I’ll be out of your life forever. You can finance your own political campaign.”
Bradley stared at her, stricken. “What the fuck?”
