Indecent Danger (Danger Incorporated #3)(62)
Aubrey and Caroline exchanged a shocked look. Tom had gone to elaborate lengths to get his hands on billions via Caroline. Killing them didn’t seem to be much of an escalation.
“I’m not in love with you. I’ve never been in love with you. What made you think I would go off with you?”
Tom laughed again but the sound didn’t sound happy. “You would have. Eventually. Once everyone you loved and depended on was gone. You would have turned to me, the only friend you had left. I would have made you happier than that * of a husband you had.”
“That’s not saying a lot,” Caroline muttered, her gaze falling to the floor and then going back to Tom. “What if I keep my mouth shut? We can have the money and each other.”
That’s it. Make him believe there’s a chance so he’ll relax and put down the gun.
Tom’s eyes narrowed but his smile never faltered. “My darling girl, that is not an option. I want you but if I have to choose, the money wins every single time.”
“You can’t have it without Caroline.” At least Aubrey hoped that was the case. It would keep her friend valuable and alive, if not herself.
“Can’t I? Alana is in love with me and will happily share the wealth. You see, I’ve thought of all the angles, little Aubrey. I’ll have the money and a gorgeous woman on my arm no matter what happens.”
“You’ve got it all planned except for one little thing,” Aubrey goaded, hoping to rattle him and trying to sound brave. She didn’t want him to know how truly terrified she was. “Us. We’re here and I don’t think you want to shoot your way out of this like it’s the OK Corral. That’s not a good way to keep your dirty little secret. If you run I’ll give you a head start.”
For all his cool bravado, Tom wasn’t nearly as sure of the situation as he tried to appear. The hand that held the gun had the slightest of trembles. It might not be noticed by anyone who wasn’t looking but Aubrey was scrutinizing him for the most minuscule of weaknesses. His face was sweaty and she guessed his hand was as well. The weapon might slip out of his fingers easily if he was pushed or jostled in any way.
Maybe. At this point Aubrey was grasping at hopeful straws.
“I don’t think I’ll need it.” Tom shook his head, his cheeks a dull red either from anger or some other strong emotion that Aubrey didn’t recognize. “You both have left me no choice really. You’ll both have to die.”
Caroline stiffened next to Aubrey and she wanted to reach out and comfort her new friend. She’d already been through hell this week and now a family friend had just announced this was their last day on earth.
The hell it was. Aubrey wasn’t about to die like a dog in the streets at the hands of a thug after money. The only difference in this * and the guys she used to see rob the local liquor stores in Chicago was the price tag of the clothes they wore. Either way they were just punks. She sure as hell wasn’t going to let this one get the best of her.
“You’re going to gun us down in cold blood,” Aubrey snorted, hoping Tom couldn’t hear the pounding of her heartbeat that sounded like a drum in her ears. Her stomach clenched, wanting to expel the breakfast she’d consumed but she swallowed down the acidic bile that had gathered in the back of her throat. “I’ll be shocked if the cops don’t have you in custody within an hour. You’re dreaming if you think you’ll get away with this.”
“I’m not planning to take the fall for this but even if I was caught it wouldn’t matter. Money talks. There are two kinds of justice systems – one for the rich and one for everyone else.”
“There’s just one problem with that,” Caroline smirked. “You’re not rich. Bruce said you’re broke as hell, in fact. You’re one of the little people, Tom. How does it feel? And don’t say Alana will bail you out. With all those billions she can move on to someone even younger and better looking than you are. But you do have the right coloring…for orange.”
Tom stepped forward and lifted his arm, holding the gun straight at Caroline. His lips were twisted into an evil sort of snarl that changed his features from handsome to sinister in a mere second.
“Holding this gun I don’t feel so little. But they won’t come after me. Not when this is a murder-suicide. You shot Aubrey because she was on to you about killing Bruce. Then you turned the gun on yourself. Not bad, actually. I’ll place the knife in your pocket and no one will question it.”
The gun swung to Aubrey and her knees began to shake even as her heart plummeted to her stomach. She wasn’t sure how she was even standing on her own two feet at the moment, but terror had frozen her in place. She blinked as tears began to well up in her eyes. Caroline’s hand grasped her own, tightening into a painful grip that kept Aubrey from screaming at the top of her lungs. She wouldn’t give this bastard the satisfaction.
“Are you ready to die, Aubrey?”
Chapter Thirty-Two
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“Did you ever find your girl?”
Lotte, the housekeeper they’d spoken to about Caroline was in the corridor when Travis and Shane exited the elevator. Shane immediately smiled at the older woman who was cleaning a room a few doors down from Martin’s suite.
“Kind of,” Shane chuckled. “What are you doing on this floor? I thought you worked on ten.”