Reckoning - 45. Chapter 45

Adam moved in the fake Amanda Grieves direction, hoping to catch up with her. She played him for a fool and wanted answers. He found a directory and checked to see what floor she could have gone. Maybe the third floor. He wondered, pressing the button for the elevator. When one arrived, Adam waited as several people stepped off before he boarded. The doors closed just when his cell rang. The caller ID said Unknown, and his gut said to answer. He pressed the green icon. “Hello.”

“Step aside, Adam. This isn’t about you,” a female voice said.

“Who’s it about? You ran me off the road and you tried to kill my assistant.”

“Your assistant was one of the scums that contribute to an innocent man’s death.”

“You mean Gavin Martin?”

“Detective Potter, I am giving you the chance to step back unless you wish to join the dammed?”

“And I’m giving you a chance to turn yourself in before I find you.”

“Is that a threat, Detective?”

“Take it any way you want. I will not let you touch another innocent person.”

“Innocent?” she shouted, her voice trembling. “You call those bastards who inebriated a damaged soul innocent? And I suppose the whore he slept with was innocent as well?”

Adam flinched from Patrick being called a whore. “Do you know what Gavin did to Patrick?”

“I know Patrick stayed with Gavin and was with him when he died. Tell me detective did Patrick come out clean?”

“He got stabbed in the chest,” Adam barked. The elevator came to a jerking halt. Adam lost his balance, but remained standing. He checked the control panel and saw he stopped between floors. He pressed the alarm button and waited for a response. Instead, the voice on his phone was now coming through the speakers in the elevator.

“Do you think justice was served, detective?”

Adam returned his cell to his pocket and glance around the box. He eyed a camera just above the control panel and an exit panel above.

“Answer my question detective.”

Adam glared at the camera. “You won’t like my answer, but I have a question. Are you one of Gavin’s mothers?”

“I am.”

“Can I assume you’re acting alone without your wife?”

“You can assume what you want.”

The elevator jumped, then climbed, passing floors. Adam returned his focus to the trapdoor above.

“Tell me your name. You know mine.”

“My name is not important. My son’s death was unjust.”

“Yes, it was. But the man who killed him is dead.”

“Not the man who arranged his death.”

“Yes, he is. His name was Jay.”

“Valdez’s stalker? Yes, I know about him. I also know he was too stupid to plan my son’s death. Not without help.”

“Right, and that came from Cain, his partner.”

“No, Cain didn’t care about Gavin someone manipulated them.”

Adam took a chance when the elevator stopped and leaped for the small door, popping it free.

“Listen, Gavin forced Patrick to sell his body.”

“Forced? Did he have a gun at his head or a knife at his throat?”

“Gavin possessed compromising pictures of Patrick.”

“Compromising pictures?” she laughed. “Patrick is a known whore who will fuck anyone for a rush. I know that for a fact.”

Adam was tired of hearing her bash Patrick. He jumped and grabbed the ledge and raised himself through the hole.

“Our time is up, Adam. I’m sorry I can’t help you further with your nightmares. Perhaps you should seek counseling elsewhere.”

Adam didn’t respond as he removed his belt as the box dropped downward at top speed. Adam relaxed as gravity took over and lifted him from the surface, sending him into a free fall. He’d hope his plan would work as he grabbed his belt, wrapping both ends around his fist and latched the leather onto an advancing gear. His body lurched as he held tight only for the belt to break in half, sending him tumbling again.