Nowhere Safe

CHAPTER 20



“Trish, glad I caught you. You’re still going to the retail convention in Atlanta this weekend, right?”

“Yes, but I can’t talk long, Gunter.” Trish grimaced at the familiar voice and grabbed the stack of mail she’d been ignoring for two days. If she had to waste time on the phone with Gunter, she could at least accomplish something, even if it was only opening envelopes. “I’m leaving soon for an appointment.” She searched her desk for her letter opener, but it was nowhere in sight. Heidi would have a fit if Bunko had it again. Watching those two circling each other was becoming entertaining. She checked the clock over her desk, abandoned the mail and picking up her purse, she headed toward the front of ReSolution. “I’m late,” she said.

Speaking of leaving, would the stalker know if she left town?

Gunter would not take the hint and hang up. “I’m finishing up paperwork. Let’s meet after your appointment.”

No, no, no. Dealing with Big Charlie would push the limits of her patience for today. Should she ask what Gunter had discussed with Charlie? If she opened that discussion, she’d never get off the phone and still have to talk to Gunter tomorrow about tonight’s meeting. “I’m too beat to meet tonight. Why don’t you call me tomorrow?”

“Sounds serious. Is there anything I can help you with?”

Nosy man. Trish stretched her neck for some relief. Gunter meant well, but sometimes he was a headache. She might as well tell him who she was meeting since Big Charlie had already bragged, she had no doubt, after he hung up from their phone call.

She said, “I’m meeting with Big Charlie.”

Gunter was quiet for several seconds. “Are you going to sell to him?”

She did not want to get into this right now. “We’re just talking and I’ll fill you in tomorrow, okay?” Time was dwindling. “I really have to go.”

“Very well. Olivia needs an escort tonight to some function. I suppose I’ll take her after all. Talk to you tomorrow.”

For once, Olivia was actually helping Trish.

Trish set the alarm and locked up. Twilight gave way to full dark by the time she arrived at Big Charlie’s warehouse. Plenty of security lights illuminated the rear loading area. Everything looked safe enough.

But she felt like a glowing target in her pastel yellow blouse.

Her imagination would be the death of her.

The walk-in door at the top of the steps next to the loading dock was unlocked, as promised. She gave the steel door a yank and peered inside the dimly lit building. Took a minute for her eyes to adjust to the single string of lights left on when the warehouse had shut down for the day.

She didn’t expect Charlie to greet her, but called out in a half-hearted voice just in case he was within earshot. “Charlie?”

Stepping further inside, she eased past a tall, chain-link enclosure and found a wide walkway stretching down the center of the warehouse. To the right were offices with wide glass windows covered on the inside by blinds.

Light leaked through the closed slats.

Now that the time had come to confront Charlie, her nerves threatened to send her running.

Jittery, she dug deep to find the anger that had sent her on this mission. She mentally ran through the threatening notes and menacing phone calls.

That did little good. Fear still clutched at her throat.

The liquid demon beckoned her to leave, go to the closest bar and relax for just one night, drown her worries.

One drink would make all of this go away for a while.

She swallowed against her dry throat. Alcohol is poison to you, Heidi’s voice argued in her head. Facing Heidi and Bunko’s disappointment when she showed up hungover tomorrow would be worse than facing her own fears tonight without a drink.

Trish lifted a fingernail to nibble on and then snatched it back.

Put this meeting with Charlie off and the same problems would be here tomorrow. She would end this today if Charlie turned out to be the stalker. He didn’t scare her physically. He’d never had a history of being dangerous, as far as she knew. She drew on the confidence she’d gained from training with Arnie, plus she had pepper spray. She’d changed her mind about bringing her knife. No way would she let Charlie get that close.

She marched toward the office then knocked lightly.

No answer.

Charlie expected her. He was probably on a phone call.

One twist of the knob and the door opened to soft lamp lighting.

Big Charlie had his arms folded on the desk and his head down, looking as if he rested.

She stepped all the way into his office. “Charlie?”

The smell struck her hard.

She froze. Bile rose inside her, a scream stuck in her paralyzed throat.

Blood ran across the desk and trickled down the side where it pooled on the floor.

The room started spinning.