Left to Vanish (An Adele Sharp Mystery—Book Eight) by Blake Pierce (books to read for 13 year olds .txt) 📗

her spine, and she glancedover her shoulder down the hall in the direction of the shower, and toward theshut door of her bedroom. She swallowed. “All right. Is my husband all right?”

“He’s fine. He’s been informed and we’re trying to do thebest we can. Police are on their way, and my partner will get there as soon asshe can. Stay put.”

***

He could hear the soft murmur of a voice outside the bedroomdoor.

He sat on the bed, his head bowed in silence and prayer andcontemplation.

The blankets were stained in blood. His own, of course. Hiswhip lay draped over the headboard.

He would have to clean up the bed, maybe burn it. No senseleaving DNA evidence lying around.

He closed his eyes, smiling to himself. The pain throbbedin his back from where he had scourged himself. His hands were also bloodied.He didn’t always strike his palms or fingers, but sometimes, on specialoccasions, it felt like the right thing to do.

He remained sitting on the bed, facing the door, head stillbowed. She had arrived only a couple of minutes ago.

Candela. Oh how he’d missed her.

“Did you miss me too?” he whispered softly.

He could hear the voice now, drawing nearer. Could hear aslight edge to the tone all of a sudden, and he frowned. It was an edge herecognized. Fear.

Why was she afraid now? She shouldn’t be afraid. Not yet.

He stood slowly to his feet, blood dripping down his back,staining the comforter, and then pattering to the floor. He winced against thepain across his shoulders, and approached the door, pressing his ear to thewood.

“DGSI?” a voice was saying quickly. “I’m not sure I know exactlywhat you do. Who is out to kill me?”

The voice became muffled again, as if the mouth had turnedaway.

His own heart was hammering now. Someone was telling her.Tattletales. There had always been tattletales.

He clenched teeth, biting his tongue hard until it bled.

He remembered that time he had snuck out to watch the moonand say his prayers outside of the small, locked basement.

The others had tattled on him.

He winced, glancing down at his thumb. One of the knuckleswas missing.

He growled to himself, reaching into his pocket and pullingout the rosary. His monk habit lay draped across the floor, and he dangled therosary over his fingers, staring at the beads outlined against the brown mesh ofthe robes.

The mothers at the cloister had not been kind to him.

“Oh worthy Judge,” he murmured softly to himself, “as youreyes trace this world and settle on only the upright, pay mind to your servant,”he whispered. “Witness your hand in motion. Witness the retribution of thesaints.”

As he spoke, tears began to form in his eyes.

He could hear the voice on the other end, still speaking.Police, most likely. Heathen gods themselves.

He had no respect for the police. None at all.

This was not their world. This was not their claim.

He tensed, murmuring a soft chant beneath his voice. “Blessmy hands,” he said. “Give me victory over my enemies.”

If they were warning Mother Candela, that meant they wouldlikely be warning others. Did they know about Spain?

No doubt. He would have to be extra careful after this, tobe able to achieve his final end. To bring complete justice. And then afterthat, what lovely plans he had. Plans that would rock the world itself.

But first things first.

He felt a righteous indignation rising in his chest. Theythought they could corner him. They thought by warning the lamb to beslaughtered they could forestall judgment. But they were always wrong.

A lesser vessel might have ran. Might have tried to savehis own skin.

He smiled now, feeling the agony lancing up his back. He hadnever been much for preserving his own skin.

He’d come here for a reason. And he would see it through.He would be patient, though. He would stay, and once she entered the room, thenhe would strike. Just as he planned. He’d been meticulous before, and there wasno sense allowing fear to hamper him now. Besides, by the sound of things, shehad locked the door. She was going to stay put. Perfect.

A second later, the voice had stopped. He heard the soundof the shower now being run, the creak of the shower door. He closed his eyes,sitting back on the bed, still bleeding. He glanced at his missing knuckle onhis thumb; slowly, he began to shift through the rosary, flicking the beads oneat a time, murmuring prayers softly beneath his breath as he waited.

He would allow the sacrificial lamb to cleanse herselffirst…

And then the fury.

CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR

Adele made the hour trip inthirty-five minutes, breaking every speed limit there was and blowing multiple redlights. Now she hopped the curb, the tires skidding as she flung herself fromthe vehicle, already running as her feet hit the sidewalk.

Ahead, she spotted two uniformedpolice officers standing idly by the door, muttering to each other beneaththeir breaths, their arms crossed. As the men spotted her, their hands dartedto their weapons. One of them raised a hand, calling out, “Stop!”

But Adele was already fishing herwallet out, flashing her credentials as she hurried forward. “DGSI!” shesnapped, “Get out of my way.”

But the officers blocked her entryinto the apartment lobby. One of them, a muscular man with a handlebar mustacheshook his head quickly, saying, “Sorry, mademoiselle. Orders are no one enters.”

“I’m DGSI!” she snapped. “Mypartner is the one who gave you your orders.”

She had come to a halt now, poisedto try and burst between the officers, her chest pounding. Her instincts werescreaming, and her eyes darted up, scanning the building, her gaze jumping fromone window to the next, trying to locate… locate what? Movement? Reflections?

She breathed heavily, panting atthe ground and feeling a cold numbness spread along her spine. She could feelthe clock ticking in her mind, feel it pressing in around her. I’m out oftime, she thought to herself.

Trust your instincts.

She closed her eyes trying tofocus, allowing the officers blocking the entrance to get a longer look at heridentification. One of them reached up to his radio, muttering into it, “I havean Agent Adele Sharp here. Hold for badge number.”

She glanced at the first