Murder of a Royal Pain

Jackie ignored Skye and continued to babble to herself. “I was so happy when I asked him out and he said yes. And it was perfect, because on one of my secret visits to your house, I overheard you talking on the phone, telling Vince that you and Wally were going to a movie in Joliet, then out to dinner at Merichka’s. So when Simon picked me up, I told him that’s where I wanted to go. We had such a wonderful time, but when he dropped me off after our date, he said he couldn’t see me anymore. He wasn’t ready to start dating someone new yet.” Jackie refocused on Skye and pointed the knife at her. “He wanted you, not me.”

Skye tensed, ready for Jackie’s attack, but instead she stepped out of the bathroom, saying, “Be right back. I need something from my purse.”

Before Skye could take a breath, Jackie returned. She dragged Skye away from the wall, put an arm around her throat, and pressed a gun to her temple. Pushing Skye in front of her, Jackie passed through the bedroom, opened the outside door, and walked over the threshold. Her car was parked in front of the cabin, and she thrust Skye toward the trunk. Skye knew she had only moments to save herself.

As Jackie fumbled in her pocket for the key, someone leapt out from behind a clump of bushes and yelled, “Freeze.”

Kurt Michaels stood in the classic shooter’s stance, aiming a huge silver gun at Jackie’s head. A nanosecond later Simon, unarmed, emerged from between the two cottages, and Wally burst out of the motor court’s office door with his weapon drawn.

The three men, clearly surprised by the others’ presence, all started shouting, but Skye only heard the click of a trigger being pulled back near her ear, followed by a gun discharging into the air.

The gunshot abruptly focused the men’s attention back on the women, and shut them up. In the stunned silence, Jackie said, “If you all don’t leave before I count to three, the next round will go into her head.”

Kurt took a step forward, and Jackie hit Skye across the face with the pistol, as she yelled, “One.”

He stopped as if he’d been tagged in a game of Statues.

Seizing the opportunity that Kurt’s distraction had provided, Simon tried to come at Jackie and Skye from the side, but Jackie spun around and hit Skye again, and screamed, “Two.” Simon halted.

Pain consumed all Skye’s thoughts, and she cringed when Wally said, “Okay. You win. You don’t have to hit her anymore. We’re all leaving. Right, guys?”

Kurt and Simon hesitated, and Wally ordered, “Move it. Both of you get into the squad car.”

They walked slowly toward the car and got into the backseat. Wally followed, slipped behind the wheel, started the engine, and drove away. Skye couldn’t believe he had left her. He hadn’t even tried to save her! He’d had his gun out. Why hadn’t he shot Jackie? His desertion hurt more than the pistol-whipping.

Once the men were gone, Jackie stuck her free hand into her pocket and pulled out the car key. But when she tried to fit it into the trunk’s lock, she dropped the key ring and it bounced under the car’s bumper. Forcing Skye to her knees, Jackie knelt beside her, reached under the car, and swept the ground with her hand.

Jackie wasn’t having any luck with her search, and Skye felt a ray of hope until Jackie’s hand emerged clutching the key ring. As they got to their feet, Skye made a decision: If she let Jackie get her into the car, she was as good as dead. She had to make a break for it.

Waiting until Jackie was distracted with opening the trunk, Skye wrenched out of her grip and whirled around, prepared to run for the office. But before she could take a single step, the world exploded, and Jackie crumpled onto Skye. Blood oozed out of the hole in Jackie’s chest, and Skye shoved her away. Jackie fell, sounding like a sack of something heavy and wet thumping down on the asphalt.

When Jackie’s body hit the ground, Wally dashed out from behind the adjacent cottage. Beads of sweat stood out on the skin above his top lip, and the expression on his face was a combination of anger, agitation, and terror.

As Wally handcuffed Jackie and called for an ambulance, Simon and Kurt ran out from where Wally had emerged. Then, as if on cue, all three men turned on Skye and started yelling at her for putting herself in danger.

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EPILOGUE

Your Wildest Dreams

“I knew I’d find you here.” May stood in the open doorway of Skye’s office with her hands on her hips. “You promised you’d stay home today and rest.”

“I said I’d think about it.” Skye wasn’t surprised to see her mother at the high school. Although she had spent two hours on the phone the night before reassuring May that despite the bruises on her face she was fine, Skye knew her mom wouldn’t be convinced until she saw for herself that her daughter was unharmed.

“It’s a shame Wally isn’t a better shot.” May marched across the room to Skye’s desk.

“What do you mean?” Skye glared up at her mother. “Wally’s a great shot. He saved my life.”