Possessed by Passion (Doms of Destiny, Colorado 9)
Page 53
Barkley slowed down, seeing the lights of a cop’s car up ahead. Glancing to his right, he realized the woman with the flat tire was the bitch he’d been chasing all the way from Destiny. He waved, sending her a big toothy grin. “I’ve caught up with you, cunt. This would’ve been a perfect place to put a bullet between your pretty eyes. Too bad the law showed up first.”
As he drove past the two vehicles, he smiled. He knew where she was going. This would give him time to scope out the town and find the perfect place to kill the doctor’s whore.
* * * *
“Still no answer, Dustin.” Mick sat in the passenger seat of his truck. His brother had been driving since they filled up an hour ago.
“She can’t avoid us forever,” Dustin said.
Mick glanced at the speedometer. “I’m shocked we haven’t been pulled over, especially at this speed.”
“I’m trying to make up time. Paris has a heavy foot, but she will stop more than we do. I bet we’re catching up with her. She can’t be more than forty-five minutes ahead of us by now, maybe less.”
“I hope you’re right. Anyway, it won’t be long before we get to Wilde.” Mick couldn’t resist and dialed Paris’s number again.
Still no answer.
* * * *
Barkley walked into Wilde Regional Hospital’s Emergency Room.
A young redheaded nurse sat behind a desk. “May I help you?”
He plastered his best grin on his face. “I’m Karl Lemmon from the state’s safety commission. I’m here to do a quick walkthrough of your facility.” This was the cover story Cindy had given him. She’d sent e-mails ahead that supported his claim. That woman continued to surprise him with her resourcefulness.
He handed the nurse the forged credentials Cindy had sent him.
“Let me get Dr. Champion for you.” She picked up the phone.
He glanced around the room, which only had a couple of people waiting. It’s going to be so easy to kill Dr. Ryder’s cunt here. I’ll only need four bullets. One for her, one for this pretty redhead, and two for those two sitting over there.
“Dr. Champion is headed this way. He’ll be right with you.”
“Perfect.” I guess I’ll need five bullets.
* * * *
Paris smiled, reading the sign on the building by the highway just outside of Wilde. Carlotta’s Liquor Store and Tarot Reading Room. Sounds like my kind of place.
She pulled into the business’s parking lot and called Dr. Champion.
“Hello.”
“Doctor, this is Paris Cottrell. I’m just outside of town.”
“I’m so glad you came, Dr. Cottrell. I’m sure you’re exhausted. I reserved a room for you at our local hotel.”
“Thank you so much.”
“I know you mentioned that you thought you would be up to getting a tour of the hospital tonight, but perhaps we should delay it until tomorrow.”
“Actually, I’m very anxious to see it.” Maybe touring the hospital will help me make up my mind on what to do. “All I need is to stretch my legs and have a cup of coffee then I’ll be good to go.”
“You’re going to fit right in, Miss Cottrell. Being a mining town, we have a lot of coffee drinkers here.”
“Please call me Paris.”
“If you will call me Alex.”