Deadly Treatment (37 page)

M
alone had called Erin from the plane, and after a brief and obviously sub-standard explanation as to why they were on a corporate jet inbound from Chicago, came her shrieks of joy and elation that he had Joshua in tow, and that he was safe.

A moment after the plane’s stairs hit the tarmac, Erin sprang into the cabin and swooped her son up in her arms hugging and kissing him for all she was worth.

‘My beautiful boy! I’ve missed you so very much; let me look at you.’ Tears of joy streamed down her face as she turned him this way and that, and then pulled him in tight again.

‘Thank you, thank you, thank you!’ she said as she looked at Malone. ‘I can never repay you for what you’ve done…’

Embarrassed and exhausted, Malone squeezed past them and got off the plane. It seemed like everyone was there to greet him. Taylor rushed up and gave him a big hug and kiss, Daniel slapped him jovially on the back, and Detectives Rodriguez and Logan moved forward and applauded.

Malone knew he had a lot of explaining to do, especially to Erin, but right now he just smiled and took a bow.

Sheila Stratford called a meeting with her two direct reports Tuck and Lattimore. The three of them sat around the boardroom table and discussed what had gone on.

‘Sorry guys, but Paxton had to go.’ Stratford began, the other two nodded understandingly.

‘So it wasn’t suicide then?’ Tuck asked, already knowing the answer.

Sheila went over the report she’d received from Elwood in her mind.

As usual, it was thorough and detailed. At her request, he’d waited at Paxton’s house for him to show up. Obviously celebrating the safe return of the files and the imminent demise of Nalder and the three in the chiller, Paxton was late getting home and any resemblance of sobriety had long since abandoned his body.

The experimental drug Elwood used on Paxton was a modified version of Ecstasy and ketamine; it rendered the victim semi-euphoric but susceptible to simple manipulation. Applied nasally, the drug was fast-acting and after thirty minutes, totally untraceable.

From then on the job was simple, he got Paxton to write the note, go to the garage, and cut the flex cord off the electric lawnmower, and then to take a chair from the dining room to the lobby, tie the cord to the first floor banister, climb the chair and loop the cord around his own neck — and finally, kick out the chair.

With such a clean and simple job and no spouse or close family to be concerned, Elwood doubted there would be any real form of investigation into the death, but with the bonus of Paxton doing all the work, Elwood had very little to do as far as removing any trace evidence.

Again under her direction, Elwood made his way to McKinley Park and to the teaching facility. He unlocked and opened the chiller door and left the building as silently as he’d entered, letting God and nature decide the fate of the three occupants.

‘He was out of control; I think losing Cain hit him harder than he let on,’ Stratford said pausing for a moment to quietly honor the dead.

‘But when I found out he wanted Elwood to take out Nalder — aka our organization’s conscience — that’s when he really over-stepped the mark. There’s no way I’d let that happen — sure she can be troublesome at times, but if she thinks we’re clean, then we know we’re covered. After all, she comes to me for guidance with all her major concerns.’

The three of them laughed.

‘Now, on to happier things, who are we going to pick for Paxton’s replacement?’

‘He was fishing around a couple of our guys,’ Tuck said ‘but I have to say they’re not particularly good candidates.’

‘They’re bad, but not bad enough; I think we should transfer them over to Nalder, keep her busy,’ Lattimore added. Again the three of them laughed.

‘I think we should take a look outside the organization, let’s draw up a shortlist from our friends in big Pharma — we’re sure to find someone who fits the bill there,’ Stratford joked. ‘But maybe the list wouldn’t be very short though.’

Their guffaws rang around the room.

T
he week after Malone’s return to LA, their house was burglarized. It was a clean and efficient job, only the high ticket items were stolen, Jewelry, TV, iPad and Daniel’s computer. Taylor put it down to someone from the neighborhood, but Malone knew Elwood was behind it. Either way, the evidence was gone, and Taylor had all the ammunition she needed to make them move.

Several months had passed, and there was still no sign of Shannon Carter, she had literally disappeared after the phone call. Daniel still trawled the odd database just in case she popped up, but it was becoming more of an exception than a rule. Things between Daniel and Malone were actually better than they’d been before the letter arrived. Both of them realized how close they’d come to losing each other.

‘Are you two ready for lunch?’ Taylor called out.

‘No need to shout,’ Malone said as he came up behind her and put his arms around her.

‘Where do you want it?’ she asked as she put the finishing touches to the Caesar Salad.

‘It’s such a beautiful day, how about out on the deck? Plus, Charlie looks really happy where he is?’ Malone said as he pointed towards the cat curled up on the couch.

‘Good idea,’ she said and kissed him on the lips.

Taking some plates, they went outside and Daniel soon joined them on the deck. The deck of their new house that overlooked the sea in Redondo Beach.

Over in Van Ness, there was a knock at the door and Erin Costello got up to answer it with Joshua trailing behind. There on the porch stood the newly named Edward Adair, Ed for short.

‘Scott!’ Joshua called out, as he ran to hug him.

‘I wondered when you’d show up; you’re all he’s spoken about,’ Erin said as she invited him in.

David McLeod, b
orn in Swindon, England, now lives in Auckland, New Zealand with his partner, Silvana, and son, Italo.

A
s a business entrepreneur, he travels extensively throughout the US, Europe, and South America spending large amounts of time in cities such as Los Angeles and London.

He is an
avid reader and movie goer, preferring genres such as thrillers and drama — with a bit of comedy thrown in for good measure.

H
is controversial debut novel,
Christ Clone,
received rave reviews.

Visit David on FaceBook

http://www.facebook.com/DavidMcleodAuthor

Find David McLeod’s earlier book

CHRIST CLONE

o
n Amazon.com