THE EYES OF A HYDRA
Grant lay back in her large bed. She couldn't keep her eyes off the ceiling, couldn't stop thinking of revenge and of the victim in her current sight. She didn't think she had been detected just yet, and that was okay with her. The longer she stayed out of sight, the better. Thus far, she hadn't heard any other news reports about the bus accident. Hopefully, no one would ever question it. She wanted the job done before she was discovered. Once Martel and Larkin were dealt with, she might even turn herself in. She laughed a little. Naw. That idea is too crazy for words. Oh well. Where could she go? She had always been fond of Canada. Perhaps she could head up that way and lose herself forever, live behind a lie and a mask, just as Martel had done for so many years. She was restless tonight, restless and antsy. She wanted to move quicker than she could, because she only had a tiny window of opportunity. Sooner or later, either Martel or Larkin would discover the true identity of the bodies. Once the secret was out, she was pretty much screwed. Grant always thought ahead, even when others knew they had all the time in the world. She had never been a procrastinator. Procrastinators always came in last. As soon as she arrived in town, she had begun to work, to map out her plan, her identity, and how she would achieve her goals. It was the only way she could work, the only way she could ever get anything done. Today, she had worked tirelessly, following her target, watching, waiting, and hoping that nothing happened before she attacked.
* * *
Selena Jane Larkin yawned and stretched dramatically within the warm covers of her bed. It was Monday morning and the clock had yet to start its annoying steady beeping noise. She reached over quickly and smacked the clock. There was no way she was going to let it wake her this morning. Mondays were the worst for her. She hated them, hated the beginning of the week. However, within a couple of weeks, she would be in Donovan's arms, and then in November, she could move permanently. His absence was as significant to her as it was to him. Larkin glanced at the clock and noticed the time again. Ugh. She had no desire to get out of bed. If she thought her boss wouldn't scream at her, she'd call in sick. She could just hear him now: Sick? What the hell? You're getting two weeks off and then you're leaving us. When she thought of her departure, she immediately thought of Donovan. The man was full of surprises. When he took her to the mountains and then told her he loved her, she thought that he would never surprise her more thoroughly again. However, she was wrong. When she spoke to him on the phone, he did it again by asking her to move in with him. It was certainly something she had never expected. When she thought of how quickly her relationship with Donovan had progressed, it nearly overwhelmed her. She had known him a little over a year, had been his lover almost as long, and now she couldn't imagine life without him. Funny how twelve months can change your life. She sat up and groaned a little. Today would be a long day. She had to work on a new case and get as much done on it as soon as possible. The transitory phase with her replacement would be difficult and she didn't want to stress the new guy any more than she had to. However, the temptation was enormously great to stay home. Get moving you lazy lovesick bitch.
It was colder than all get out that morning and Larkin was relieved that her time outside would be brief. She found herself hoping that the weather would cooperate. If anything happened to ruin her plans, she thought she might run through the streets stark raving mad. She breathed a sigh of relief when she found a vacant slot in the parking garage. She first thought she was going to arrive too late to get a good spot, and if she hadn't, she would have had to leave the car on the curb. It was cold inside this structure, but not as bad as it was out there. Jesus. The weather was horrid for this time of the year and she felt it was a taste of things to come. God. Please, please, please don't let anything interrupt my trip. Larkin grabbed her briefcase and left the comfort and warmth of her car. She moved toward the entrance to the building and heard hollow footsteps behind her. She stopped and turned around, but she couldn't see anyone behind her. Shrugging it off, she continued and entered the building from the back. She didn't pay much attention to anyone as she walked through the corridor toward the stairwell. Actually, she was a little distracted today, but couldn't exactly put her finger on it. It wasn't that she missed Donovan [which she did…naturally]; it was something else, something off kilter. Sighing, she clopped heavily to her office and unlocked the door. She groaned incoherently when she saw the pile of paperwork awaiting her. Uh. I should have stayed in bed.
Larkin approached her desk and opened the top drawer. For a few moments, she scrounged around for her file cabinet key. When she stuck the small key in the lock, her eyes settled on an unfamiliar face. A woman was seated just outside Larkin's office at the secretary's desk. Her hair was dark and cut short in a style that fell over her forehead and hid her ears. She was gazing curiously toward Larkin's office, as if she knew her. The woman made her very nervous. Nothing disturbed her more than being stared at. She was tempted to close the door, but thought it would offend the lady. Larkin opened the top drawer and dug out the file she needed. Glancing over her shoulder one last time, she carried it back over to her desk. If the woman were there by the time she finished, she'd go out and speak to her. Soon enough, Larkin became engrossed with the file and her new case. She had just about forgotten the woman. By lunch, she was starving [naturally], and when she left her office, the woman was still seated at the desk. She watched Larkin curiously, following her with her eyes. She sighed in frustration and clopped off toward the garage. Today, she had a craving for Mexican food. She only had an hour, but fuck it. If it took longer, the upper brass could kiss her ass. After all, she was leaving in November.
She chose her favorite Mexican spot with real food, not the cheap and nasty fast food stuff. She was tempted to order a margarita, but thought better of it. After all, she was on the clock. As she worked through the cheese dip and chips, she glanced around the interior of the room. Most of her co-workers avoided this place like the plague because of the rich, spicy, and fatty food. However, Larkin was one of the lucky few who burned more calories sitting still than most people did running three miles. She had always been naturally hyper and seemed to burn for hours at a time. Her co-workers once joked that she might be manic. As her eyes made a final scan, she noticed the woman from the office. Is she following me? Who the hell is she? The woman's identity confused her greatly. If she were a new employee, why hadn't anyone told her? She was leaving the D.C. family in November, but she was still a part of the group. It was then that she remembered the promise she had made to Donovan. She'd told him she would check again about the accident, and she would. First, she would have to get back to the office, but not before she ate her damn burrito.
Larkin made it back to the office before the mysterious woman. She quickly dove into her office and closed the door. After making about a hundred phone calls, she was told the same thing that she and Donovan had known. All the bodies were accounted for. Kira Grant was dead and buried in an undisclosed location. Larkin sat behind her desk, contemplating the hell out of calling Donovan. If she did that at work, it would be highly frowned upon. She would have to wait until she went home and she wasn't patient enough. She moved away from her desk and opened her door. The woman was back, stationed behind the desk that she had taken earlier today. Without approaching the desk outright, Larkin moved past it as if she were going to the supply closet. She spied the nametag on the woman's blouse. Pellie Greene. Pellie Greene? What the hell kind of name is that? It has to be assumed. Who would name a kid Pellie? What is a fucking Pellie anyway? She wondered if personnel would tell her if they'd hired a new secretary or if she had been tossed in during one of her two-week respites. Goddamn it, Jane, just go up and ask her what the deal is. Have you lost your nerve? She completed her trip to the supply closet and walked back with a handful of ink pens. Larkin was certain she looked completely idiotic strolling around with her fistful of Bics. Oh well, she was on a mission.
Before she went back into her office, she stopped in front of the desk and faced this Pellie Greene. "Excuse me," Larkin began. "Are you new here? I've never seen you before and lately, I've been in and out," she said.
She smiled and it was an odd little smile, almost disgusting. "Yes. I started just today as a be all-end all receptionist slash secretary slash administrative assistant. I've worked in many governmental offices, but have never seen one so young in such a position as this."
Okay, she has already made an enemy for life. She's already knocking my age. Just who are you, Pukie Greene? What's your story? "Well, don't let my looks fool you, Ms. Greene. I'm actually forty, but I've aged well, like cheese. Nice meeting you, but I have work to do."
That evening, she went home immediately, not bothering to linger one minute at work. She had a burning desire to speak to Donovan, not only to tell him about the accident, but also because she missed him so damn much. She called about five times, but he never picked up. She understood his line of work, knew that he was in and out, but damn it, she really needed to talk to him. She went to her bedroom, taking her cordless phone with her, and jumped onto the big middle of the bed. She began gazing up at the ceiling and chewing on her lip. Jesus, Frank, where are you? Taking a shot, she dialed up his cell phone number. It rang five times before his voice mail kicked on. She debated with herself for a moment, left a brief message, and then hung up. She didn't know why she felt such desperation to speak to him. It wasn't like what she had to say couldn't wait for a few hours, but damn it, the new employee creeped her out. If Grant was, indeed, dead, then there was no way Greene could be her. She had inherited yet one more lovely thing from Donovan, his paranoia. She was lost in thought when the phone rang in her hand. She jumped almost straight up and cried out. She hadn't realized she was in such a daze. God. She hit the 'talk' button and spat out a shaky 'hello.'
"Selena, [It's Frank…oh thank God, it's Frank] are you okay? Were you asleep?"
She sighed deeply. "No, I was daydreaming or something and the phone scared the shit out of me. I called to tell you that I checked up on the accident and they're all accounted for. There's nothing to worry about." Or is there? "You'll probably notice that I've called about nine dozen times. Remember that weird woman in your building? Well, her twin sister is now working at our branch office."
"Really? I hope this is some kind of strange coincidence. I had Cody check into the neighbor and he found nothing unusual. You can give me the name of yours and we can check just to be safe," he said.
"That sounds like a plan, babe. Her name is Pellie Greene. Spelled P-E-L-L-I-E and Greene with an 'E.' I think you gave me your paranoia, Frank, I really do. Thanks a lot, by the way," she said sarcastically.
He chuckled and the sound of it coming into her ear made her shiver. "Pellie Greene? What the hell kind of name is that? [At that, Larkin smiled. His thinking was right in line with hers.] We'll check her out. Oh, you're more than welcome for that gift. I hate to do this, but I really have to go. I love you, Selena."
Without waiting for her to respond, she heard him end the call on his side. She sighed heavily. She hated when he did that. Yeah, he's still got enough asshole in him to make you cry, doesn't he? She placed the phone on the nightstand and got off the bed. She couldn't nap, and if she did, she wouldn't sleep tonight. What to do? What to do?
* * *
It was well past midnight when Donovan entered the nest. He had the name that Larkin had given him written on the palm of his hand. Although Cody would probably die if he knew Donovan was touching his children, Donovan knew his way around a computer a little. What he didn't know when he began was learned through the years. After the computer had started up and gave him the screen he wanted, he typed in the name, hit a key, and waited patiently. After a moment or two, he had access to hundreds of pieces of information regarding the woman. However, there was absolutely nothing indicating a shady past, just like Bailey Devere. Donovan was tempted to send Larkin a picture of Devere so she could compare it to Greene. Why would one woman travel between two places? He had noticed that his new neighbor had been quiet here lately, but would she go to this much trouble? If so, then who was she really? She couldn't be Kira Grant unless she had somehow evaded death, and from the look of the burned bus, there was no way anyone could get out of that alive, even a woman as well trained as her. He retrieved the information regarding Devere again and printed a picture that was on file. When he next saw Larkin, he would show her and then compare what they had. The women weren't Grant, but there was always the chance that she had other people supporting her. Despite her putrid personality, Grant had friends and could manipulate a priest into breaking every vow known to man. After the picture printed, he shut down the computer and made his way home.
When he arrived home, he smiled a little. True to her word, Larkin had called several times. He cleared them off the Caller ID and had then made moves to go into his bedroom, but a noise in the hallway stopped him. He immediately recognized the voices of Devere and her brother. They were laughing and making a hell of a ruckus, as if they were drunk. Donovan was quite tempted to go out into the hall and scream at them, but what good would it do? It would only irritate them and give him a killer headache. He went into the bedroom and closed the door behind him, muffling the noise somewhat. He glanced at the phone, tempted to call Larkin, but he hesitated. By now, she would be in bed. I wish she were here in my bed. Two months would seem like an eternity. Sighing, he began to undress for a late shower. If he expected to function in the morning, he'd need tons of sleep.
* * *
Grant had spent another nice day watching and waiting. She knew now that no one had suspected her true identity. She wondered if they had forgotten she knew her way around computers? She had made a nice file for her alias, stripped it clean, and it appeared as if she were as innocent as a baby. All of them were so well trained, but utter idiots at the same time. They couldn't see what was right before their faces. However, she wasn't getting through to the target like she needed to. It would take more time than she anticipated, but as long as they weren't suspicious, she could take all the time she needed. She was still hidden well. However, she was aware that someone had been digging into the accident reports.
* * *
The next morning, Donovan was up relatively early, accomplishing the tasks of his morning routine. When he was showered and dressed, he realized that he had some extra time. Coffee. He needed coffee. Last night, he hadn't slept very well and a double espresso would hit the spot. He gave no thought as to who owned the shop. He didn't realize it until he saw her smiling face the first thing. Jesus. I need to find another coffee shop.
"Good early morning, neighbor," Devere said. "Don't tell me. Double espresso?"
He nodded curtly. "Yes, thank you."
She turned away to fulfill his order and when she gave him his drink, her smile was still painted on her face. "Here you go. No charge. See you around, Frank," she said, her voice husky, mocking almost.
You won't see me if I have anything to do with it. "Thank you again." He gave her another curt nod before exiting the shop.
She stood back with her arms crossed over her chest and watched as he made his way out. Why couldn't he lean toward her a little? What was it? Was she that hideous? She didn't think she looked half bad. There had to be some way to break the ice. What would she have to do? What would she have to say? He was fighting against her so hard, but every man had his breaking point. This one just had a harder one. That's quite all right and okay. Sooner or later, I'll have you right where I want you.
* * *
Larkin went to work the next day still a bit out of sorts with the world. Today, if the Greene woman said one cross word her way, she'd smack her. She walked down the hall and directed her eyes on the desk, but the woman wasn't at work yet. Thank God. She slipped into her office and had barely sat down before her phone rang. "Larkin," she said.
"Donovan," he called back.
She smiled a little. "Calling me at work isn't such a good idea. What do you have for me?"
"You know, Selena, I could take that two ways," he told her. "But I won't go into that, not while you're at work. I actually called to tell you that Greene has no record of any kind, other than petty things like parking tickets and such. Looks like we're simply two paranoid people. I do have another theory here and there. I printed off Devere's picture last night and when you get here, I'll show it to you. We can compare and go from there."
She sighed. "Sounds like we're truly paranoid. Perhaps we should go to the mental institution together? Okay, I suppose my detective work is now over. Thanks for calling and letting me know. At this point, I'm almost ready to demand her to tell me what her thing is. Well, now it's my turn to shut you down, Frank. I miss you." Without giving him a chance to speak, she disconnected the call.
Larkin propped her chin onto her hand. Damn it all to hell. There was so much confusion going on when there should have been none. When would the world make sense again?
____________________
To be continued…