Mike pulled his jacket collar up to shield himself from the chilly drizzle. What a place to meet a young woman, a fountain that was still running. Oh well, he thought with a grin, that woman had no idea he was...
The girl showed up at the appointed hour. Yes, it's her: very young, blonde, pretty.
"Nydessa Charles?," he said as she approached.
"Yes. Where is my father?"
Mike reached into his jacket pocket, produced an ID badge, then replied, "Mike Holiday, FBI. I work with Audra Byer, and she's instructed me to move you to another safe house. I understand you've received a call from the fugitive Charmaine Shade. Ms. Charles, thank Melody Starr for putting a bug in your phone. If that call hadn't been monitored then you could've been kidnapped. We will head for the safe house now. Melody and Audra are still at the station interrogating the others."
Nydessa could've kicked herself for being so stupid. When that woman called her, she had an inkling it may be one of Charmaine's traps. Although Dessie knew her father was in actuality waiting at the police station (as Melody told her earlier), her heart got in the way of her head. She was also aware that both Melody and Audra would lay into her for being so careless. If this FBI agent had been one of Charmaine's henchmen, Nydessa would've been good as dead.
******
It was an intense interrogation. Ray Marsh confessed to collaborating with Charmaine Shade. He revealed how he met Ms. Shade, how she suckered him into running for office, how she orchestrated Marty McCormack's murder. And he confessed that it was she who ordered the hit on Taylor. Jake, Charmaine's henchman, confessed to killing Taylor then dumping her body. He also revealed his mistress' current hiding place.
"She's staying in her cabin, in the Smokies. She ordered me to kill Ray the moment he made his concession speech, only Audra nabbed me before I could get my gun out."
Obviously the thug came clean in efforts for the law to go easy on him. It was not that simple. As it stood now, both men were taken into custody awaiting arraignment. An APB was put out on Charmaine Shade, and Melody began piecing together the ever intricate puzzle.
But what happened to John Eiger, the man who allegedly developed the rigged version of Dark Horse and made that venomous robotic bug which killed McCormack? Jake confessed that Charmaine ordered Eiger killed, but the henchman claimed he never carried out those orders. Instead he simply took the elderly eccentric scientist out to a remote location then abandoned the man on a lonely country road. What happened to Eiger was still a mystery, and only Audra and Reyna knew of the man's exact fate. They bided their time, that is if Charmaine ever surfaced again. Only then would they reveal Eiger's true connection to Charmaine, and it had to be timed just
perfectly.
******
"Nydessa is secure at the alternate safe house. Mike says she could've been killed if Charmaine had beat him to the park. That kid needs to know not to fall for Charmaine's dirty tricks."
"But Nydessa was way ahead Charmaine. She knew her dad was waiting at the police station, and he doesn't even have a secretary."
Back in Metacorps' conference room, Melody and Audra sifted through their respective notes, going over Jake and Ray's individual confessions. What the men revealed was more than enough to put Charmaine away for decades if not for life. There has to be a connection between a rigged election, a Metacorps agent's murder, and the disappearance of John Eiger. Ray had no idea who Eiger was let alone know what happened to the man. All Jake could tell authorities was what he did after Charmaine ordered him to kill Eiger. Surely, with her two top henchmen now behind bars, Charmaine might return to town to exact revenge on Nydessa as she tried to do earlier. Melody smiled to herself that Charmaine had to call one of her many underworld connections but had no idea the 'contact' was an undercover FBI agent.
The two agents had precious time to lose as Charmaine was still at large. At last report, according to Audra's contacts, Ms. Shade had left her Smokies cabin. Perhaps she has returned to town, but sources indicated Ms. Shade had gone elsewhere.
"I think she's back in town, where to pinpoint her precise location will be a chore," said Melody, grimacing that Nydessa almost fell for a trap. But the girl was far smarter thand Melody gave her credit. At least Dessie had good sense to alert Melody and Audra after she received that phone call. It was obvious that Charmaine found out where Nydessa was hidden, and Melody wisely put a bug on Dessie's phone in case Ms. Shade should to contact the girl.
"Hmm," said Audra while mapping out plans to trap Charmaine, "I have an idea. Since Charmaine now knows where you're hiding Nydessa, why not trap her there? I mean, I can have Mike call Charmaine, tell her that the coast is clear, and that Nydessa is right where she wants her."
Melody picked up on this right away. Without hesitation, althought Reyna would forbid her from doing something so risky, she suggested, "Why not let me be the bait? Come on, Audra. It's me Charmaine wants, not Dessie. She blames me for botching her sweet deal with Ray Marsh, and she's had it in for my family for decades. I say we do this–"
Before Melody could lay out her plan to trap Charmaine, Reyna Paul entered the room. The Metacorps boss would hear none of it.
"Melody," she said with a twinge of anger, "it is too dangerous. Charmaine, once she finds out she's been had, will kill you for sure. I say we wait until Audra and I play our trump card. With that kind of ammunition perhaps Charmaine might trap herself."
Ms. Starr eyed her superior coolly, replying, "But what if she wheedles it out of one of her contacts Nydessa's new location? Reyna, I know you didn't want me on this case because it affects me personally. But let me do this. I won't take any undue risks. We'll have backup in case Charmaine tries anything desperate."
Reyna knew Melody all too well. Once Ms. Starr set her plans in motion, it was futile to force her to alter them. With a sigh, Reyna said, "OK, but let me get more backup. Charmaine is in desperate straits. She's probably figured out that Mike will never deliver Nydessa–"
"Oh, no, Reyna," rejoined Audra, "we have that covered. As far as Charmaine knows, Mike has yet to lure Nydessa into a trap. Don't worry. This won't crimp your trump card."
"What trump card?," asked a now curious Melody.
Reyna and Audra could tell her so much, but it was something that might give Charmaine the jolt of her life. However, Reyna felt revealing such information to Melody was safe, so she told her.
Ms. Starr's brown eyes grew wide with shock. She nearly fell out of her chair when Reyna and Audra revealed their 'trump card'.
"You mean he is her father? How did you find out?"
Reyna replied, "We got the DNA results back last week, after Audra sneaked into Charmaine's lair and snatched the woman's hairbrush. It's the truth, Melody, only Charmaine never found out. Her own mother hid the truth from her all these years."
Melody was flabbergasted, but composed quickly now armed with this latest news. The plan to trap and arrest Charmaine Shade was now top priority, and nothing was to be left to chance. There was one more thing on Melody's mind: Kent.
"You know, Reyna, while he doesn't mean a thing to me anymore, what's happened to Kent?"
Ms. Paul replied, "He has been released from the safe house. Kent was charged with obstruction of justice. Blowing your cover like that could've gotten you killed. We're taking pains to make those charges stick. Melody, for what it's worth, you're well rid of him. He had no idea the peril he put you in."
Melody nodded, "I guess he thought he was getting back at me for breaking off the engagement. But he knew what I was, what I did for a living. You know he saw me with Nydessa, and he went totally ballistic. When he told Audra that 'Satine is really Melody', his jealousy got the best of him."
"And it will earn him prison time," said Audra, finalizing the 'get Charmaine' plot. Changing the subject, the federal agent said, "I'll call Mike, then he'll contact Charmaine. If we do this right, she'll be behind bars tonight. OK, Melody, are you sure you want to do this?"
******
Peering through the dusty window, Mike Holiday surveyed the interior of the old foundry. Abandoned a few months ago, the place had an eerie ambience with its idle equipment and tools. Odd that if one flicks a switch, everything still works as if the crew was due back any time. The conveyor belts, blast furnace, smelter, all of it was still in tiptop operating order. For what it was worth, the place was appropos for hiding something – or someone.
He had his orders: Wait for further instructions from Audra, then contact Charmaine. Mike still didn't like the idea of playing Ms. Shade's flunky, and if she suspected Mike was in reality an undercover agent, she'd not hesitate to kill him. The woman was that dangerous. But it was a chance Mike had to take, and he hoped Audra and Melody worked out the bugs in this scheme. The slightest slipup could end up with three people dead and another on the loose. That poor Nydessa kid would definitely be Charmaine's next target if things didn't go as planned.
His cell rang. Thank goodness it was Audra.
"Hello?"
"Mike, Audra here. Are you in place?"
"Yeah, I just got here."
"Good! Now, wait five minutes then call Charmaine. Tell her exactly this..."
******
In a brown Mercedes sedan she waited. She made sure to park the car in a non-descript, deserted alley not far from the foundry. If her flunky did as requested then it was worth the risk coming back to town.
So she didn't get what she wanted. So what if Ray lost the election and made that tearful confessing concession speech. So what if her old henchman Jake couldn't carry out his orders to kill Ray? Both men were now in police custody and will spend many years behind bars. Too bad. At least she won't be joining them.
What mattered now was giving that turncoat Nydessa and her equally goody-two-shoes lover Melody exactly what they deserve. Melody Starr...
All during her flight from justice, Charmaine Shade thought about the intrepid Metacorps agent, and why she was such a pain in the ass. To be fair, there was really nothing about Melody for Charmaine toward which to feel any animosity. But it was out of love and allegiance to the memory of her mother that Charmaine carried this grudge against a woman with whom she was acquainted so briefly. Up until recently, she and Melody hadn't crossed paths since first grade. So why hate Ms. Starr so? As a child, Deidre Maxwell had no idea why her mother hated Mary and Will Starr. She didn't know it was her mother who ordered the hit on the Starrs, and that, somehow, John Eiger figured into that senseless bloodbath.
John Eiger...
That was another figure from her past. Charmaine remembered him faintly from her childhood. Eiger was a frequent guest, and Olivia would show him the most peculiar attention. Apparently her father Frank didn't mind but displayed some discomfort whenever Olivia seemed to focus on John and not on him. Odd that so many years following her mother's death, Charmaine would look up John Eiger. And it was natural that the pair struck up a quick alliance, he agreeing to rework Mary Starr's Dark Horse program to suit Charmaine's nefarious plans. He also agreed, albeit reluctantly, to make that little poisonous robot bug which killed Marty McCormack. Why would an elderly, eccentric, yet ordinarily kindly man agree to such villiany? Charmaine had that covered.
Presumably she had something on the man, something supposedly so incriminating that he had to agree to her demands. When he outlived his usefulness, she simply ordered him killed. Well, at least Mother will be pleased one more thorn in her side is just a bad memory...
Her cell phone rang. It was Mike.
"Hello? Mike? Oh thank goodness it's you. Did you bring our precious cargo? Good! Now, I want you to take her to where we agreed. Yes, make sure no one's followed you. Make sure she can't escape. I'm on my way."
******
Mike did as instructed then left, but not before calling Audra and Melody. Then he had to be reassured backup was on the way. It pained him to think both women could be at the mercy of one so desperate and dangerous as Charmaine Shade. And he wondered why Charmaine ordered the furnace turned on full blast. Oh my God, surely she hadn't planned to throw Nydessa into...A searingly painful fiery death. Melody and Audra had better take extra care lest they end up as chunks of charred flesh and bone.
Charmaine parked near the rear entrance; understandably she didn't want to be seen with Mike. And there had not be anyone snooping around. At last she shall have her revenge on Nydessa. She'll toy with the girl, torture her in the most amusing ways, then she'll call Melody to come 'rescue' her beloved. Then she'll have both women right where she wants: as fire fodder.
Strolling through the deserted foundry, she called out, "Nydessa, dear. You naughty girl, I have a special treat for you. Turning on me like that is not done, my pet."
She found the abandoned foreman's office where Mike said he had Nydessa tied up. Nice of the man to leave the door unlocked, now to give my former pet a nice send-off.
Turning the doorknob, she said out loud, "Nydessa, if you're a good girl, I'll let you see your precious Melody again. Oh yes, the pair of you shall enjoy your final moments together, before you die together. Better yet, I'll let you see your beloved burn to death before I throw you into the furnace."
When Charmaine entered the room, she found the inert form of a young girl tied to a chair, the child blindfolded and gagged. Ah, so Mike had to chloroform the poor dear. No matter, for once she comes around, she'll feel all of it, all of the pain, all of my rage. I'll make sure of that.
She sauntered up to the unconscious girl then lightly touched her shoulder. In an oily voice, she said, "Nydessa, it's Charmaine. Wake up, my pet. It's time to teach you a lesson."
No response from the drugged girl. Charmaine, growing impatient, shook the girl, knocking her to the floor. Nydessa didn't even stir when her head struck the edge of the desk while falling. What is this?, Charmaine wondered. She knelt down to check, only to find that 'Nydessa' was nothing more than a dummy.
"He tricked me!" Charmaine was livid. Knocking yellowed books and papers off the desk, kicking chairs, stamping around the office, Charmaine fumed and cursed. "That Mike, just like Ray, Jake, and the others. All traitors! I'll get my hands on them, I swear!"
She thought she heard footsteps approaching. Thinking it might be Mike coming back to undo his dirty deed, Charmaine quickly exited the office. Taking out her pistol, she tiptoed around to the furnace room. Espying a narrow ladder which led to the catwalk far above the works, she quickly scaled it. From her perch she could see two familiar figures walking down the corridor. Audra Byer and Melody Starr!
"So," she said under her breath while quietly making her way along the catwalk, "this was a trap after all – for me. Hmm...two for the price of one. Why not knock off both of them then blow this joint. Got to leave the country..."
She then did something careless. In her haste to escape, she snagged the hem of her long black leather coat on the catwalk railing. In efforts to free herself, Charmaine's many golden chains clanked against the metal railing. She cursed her dumb luck for they spotted her.
"Up there!," called out Audra. "She's up on the catwalk!"
"Call Reyna now!," said Melody, her gun drawn. To Charmaine she said, "Give yourself up, Charmaine! It's over!"
"Never! If you want me, come and get me!," came the challenging response. In a flash Charmaine ran the length of the catwalk, nearly tripping in the process.
Melody quickly climbed the ladder then, within seconds, was hot on Charmaine's trail. Ms. Shade, determined not to go down without a fight, goaded Melody. "Let's see who's the toughest, who's the nimblest without falling into a fiery death!"
She aimed her pistol and fired.
******
Reyna couldn't have timed it better. Her 'trump card' had arrived, and he called up to her.
"Deidre! Stop! My God, girl, please stop! For your mother's sake, stop!"
Charmaine paused to look down at the figures rushing into the foundry. Reyna Paul she recognized, but who was this little old man, and why did he call her Deidre? It didn't take long to register, and Charmaine, totally thunderstruck, gasped, "How can it be? You're supposed to be dead!"
He called up again. "Deidre, please. Give this up! For me, give yourself up!"
"Why should I?"
"Because...Deidre, your mother never told you...You are my daughter, not Frank Maxwell's...I'm your father."
To be continued...Go to Chapter 13
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