Alliance

By S. R. Franklin

One woman depends on her courage, instincts, and family in the hunt for a killer—who wants her to find him—in this chilling thriller.
 
FBI Deputy Director Samantha Thomas is a born leader and always has been—both on the job and for her family. So, when she’s given the opportunity to pick her own team for a special project, she doesn’t hesitate to choose her sisters, all of whom bring their own skills to the squad. And Samantha is going to need them all if she’s going to find the Handyman—a killer who has blazed a bloody, twisted trail across the country claiming thirty female victims.
 
But what Samantha doesn’t know is that the Handyman is waiting. Not in fear, but anticipation. Because after twenty years of searching for his perfect woman, he has finally found her in Samantha. And anyone who tries to stand between him and his one desire is going to die . . .

• Language: English
• Publisher: Open Road Integrated Media
• Release date: Jun 5, 2018
• ISBN: 9781683508243

Book preview

Prelude

Wakie, wakie. I said wake up. He walked over to the girl and smacked her across the face, hard. Stupid whore, I said wake up. We are going to have some fun. He laughed and removed his jacket. Pulling a chair close to her, he removed her blindfold. She was a pretty one. Young, probably not too experienced. It was going to be fun taking her.

"You don’t know what is in store for you. Now play along and you will live longer. Get it, the better you are the longer you live. Maybe I will even let you go if you are good. Understand?

It was hard for Sarah to focus. Her head hurt really badly. She must have been drugged. Her arms wouldn’t move. She was tied to a bed. There was a voice yelling at her. She struggled to free herself, begging for him to help her. What was he saying? Maybe he will let me go. He is going to kill me? Sarah panicked. She began to scream as loud as she could, but the gag in her mouth muffled the sound. Her legs were heavy. Her entire body was sore. What had happened? Where was she? Think, think, what is the last thing I remember?

Now are you going to be a good girl? The man got up from the chair and sat beside her on the bed. I make the rules. he said and the better you listen the easier you die. He took a spool of duct tape from his tool bag and walked to her. Do you understand? Now if you scream it will get bad. Understand?"

He took off her gag and tore the duct tape to fit her mouth. Sarah started begging. He took out his knife and cut off her pants. Then he taped her legs to each side of the bed. He took off his shirt and shoes. He climbed into bed with her. He began to grope her and touch her everywhere. Sarah tried to scream and tell him no, but he was not listening. She struggled and he held her down harder. He slapped her several times hard. Sarah could not concentrate. She couldn’t think. He took her over and over. All she could do was cry and beg him not to hurt her.

He finished and got up. He walked to a small table in the room. Don’t worry, baby, we have all the time in the world. No one will be back here for a while. We are going to have a lot of fun. He reached into his tool pouch and grabbed a pair of cutters. He smiled at her and walked back to the bed.

Sarah began to scream and beg him not to hurt her.

Without saying a word, he grabbed her hand and cut off her thumb. I told you not to scream. It only gets worst from here.

Sarah began to gag. She was throwing up but the gag prevented her from spitting it out. She began to choke. He grabbed her hair and held up her head. He took the gag out of her mouth and pulled her to the side of the bed. Sarah threw up several times.

Look what you have done now. Maybe I should just kill you now. Is that what you want?

Blood was dripping from her hand onto the floor and running down her arm.

He grabbed a bottle of water and doused her face. Open your mouth.

Sarah did as she was told. She was thirsty. He poured the water in her mouth. She swallowed hard.

He threw the water bottle on the floor and walked to the table. You know, I am a celebrity now. He took a cigarette out of the pack and lit it. Did you hear me? He yelled at her. I said I am a celebrity. Do you want to know why?" He walked back to the bed.

Sarah was crying. Please let me go. I’m a nobody. I won’t tell anyone anything, please.

Stop lying. You would run to the first person you see. You are no different than the rest. Whore, that’s what you all are. Well, I know what to do with whores. He walked back over to her and took a draw off the cigarette. He grabbed her hand and put the cigarette to the stub left from cutting her thumb off. Sarah screamed and passed out. The man walked back to the table holding Sarah’s thumb. Yeah, a celebrity. I’m the Handyman. He inspected the thumb. This is a good one. He threw it down and grabbed a bottle of Scotch from a bag. This is going to be a great time."

Chapter 1

Samantha woke up early as usual. Her first day off in months. She was still tired from the last week. She had gotten home around 1 AM and had gone straight to bed. Now she was starving. She lay in bed staring at the ceiling. She couldn’t think of anything she wanted to eat. She was sure there was nothing in the house anyway. Sighing in defeat, she threw back the covers and headed to the bathroom. Maybe a quick shower would get her juices flowing. Her mind was still racing from the last week.

The team had been in Miami, Florida. It was getting harder to get the pictures out of her head. So many innocent lives taken and their family’s ruined. She could not remember how to turn it off anymore. She turned to the shower and turned the hot water on. Letting it run for a minute she turned on the cold just enough to take out the sting. She climbed inside and continued to turn the cold water. Perfect, she thought. She stepped into the stream and let the pulsing sensation calm her tight muscles. Her long brown hair covered her back. Slowly the images of the last week began to wash away. She stood there for several minutes just letting the water hit her and run down her body. She was starting to feel alive.

After half an hour she stepped out of the shower and buried her face in the plush towel she kept hanging over the shower door. The clean smell always made her feel better. She put on her robe and wrapped her wet hair in the towel and walked over to the mirror. She ran her hand over the mirror wiping away the steam and reviling her worn and tired face. I look too old to just be 35, she couldn’t help but think. She stared at herself for a long time. She had a good life, but at what expense? Was her job worth it? The prestige verses the hours. Who knows? Well this is no time to think about it. She remembered JJ would be coming over in a few hours for their weekly chess game that always ended in watching old movies, ordering pizza and drinking beer. She and JJ had become friends not long after JJ joined the BAU. That was almost five years ago. JJ had been top in her class at Harvard Law. Then she moved to psychology at Oxford just because she got bored. The FBI recruited her before she had even graduated. She had taken interrogation classes thru the FBI and was now one of the best in the business. JJ could have gone anywhere. Wrote her own ticket. And to be honest she could have been team leader at the BAU. But she was content working with the team. For now, she always said.

Samantha had taken the team leader almost seven years ago. She had regretted that decision shortly thereafter. She recruited JJ almost five years ago.

By now the sun was coming up and the diner around the corner would be opening. Maybe some eggs; yes definitely eggs. Samantha got dressed and half dried her hair. She pulled it into a bun and took one last look in the mirror. Defiant strands of hair tumbled in every direction.

I will have to do something about that but it will do for now, she thought.

She pulled on her shoes, grabbed her purse and walked out into the morning. It was already bright and sunny. One of those days you were supposed to be in a good mood, but she had already decided she was not.

Samantha liked this time of morning. There were not many people out; the streets were quiet and clean. She walked slower than usual taking in all the sights, the trees and flowers. It would be fall in a few weeks. That was her most favorite time of year. Even as a child she had loved all the colors and the smells of fall. Her mom always made homemade apple cider with cinnamon for her and her sisters and brother. They would gather outside with hot cider and homemade pies. Then afterwards play in the leaves they had raked together. But there were also the clothes. She loved sweaters, boots and tight jeans. All the colors, browns, gold, reds everything that made home. It was a long way from Chicago, Illinois and a long time ago. All eight of the kids had gotten great jobs and college degrees. Most of them still lived in the Chicago area. She was further away than any of them. Her sister Lisa was a forensic pathologist. Alexis was a criminal psychologist. Tristan was a pharmacologist. Karen was a lawyer. Daniel was the DA for Chicago. Diane was CSI unit director for Chicago. Hannah was a pathologist and she was executive assistant director for the BAU in Quantico and also an MD. She couldn’t help but laugh. It was hard to believe that all those snot nose kids had gotten off the farm. She had finally reached the diner. She opened the door and walked inside.

Hey, Sam. The old man that always seemed to be there raised his hand and smiled. You ain’t been around lately. Must have been home for a visit.

Yeah, back home, Sam said, walking to the back of the restaurant to a small table. She sat down hard. Still tired.

The waitress came over with a coffee cup and silverware. Same as always, Sam? She smiled as she filled up the cup with steaming hot coffee. You want a paper while you wait?

Samantha looked up at the young girl who should be in college. There was a bruise on her cheek. Not the first time she had seen it. Yes, same as always, Sarah, and today’s paper, please. Samantha did not make any comment about the bruise. She would just say she walked into a cabinet or something stupid anyway.

Sarah came back with the paper and her breakfast. Samantha thanked her. She was not much for small talk. She opened the paper and ignored any comments. The paper was nothing spectacular as usual, stocks, bonds, personal ads, police did this or that, and new job listings. She turned the paper towards the comics, folded it and laid it on the table. Garfield always made her laugh.

The bell over the door rang.

Another victim entered, she thought, not looking up.

Her breakfast was not appetizing: greasy scrambled eggs, half-cooked bacon, soggy toast, and strawberry jelly. This would add five more pounds to her hips, but who was looking. She continued eating and glancing at the paper.

A movement out of the corner of her eye drew her out of her reverie. The movement was a person who now sat across from her in the booth.

Samantha glanced up to find Morgan smiling at her. Agent DJ Morgan was one of her team members and amazingly good looking. He was somewhat cocky and had a reputation of being a womanizer. There were dozens of women throughout the FBI that would love to be looking at him over breakfast.

Womanizer or not, Sam liked him. There was some chemistry between them and they both loved to flirt. She wanted more but would never be the first to say so.

After her divorce a few years ago, she found herself thinking before she acted. A good thing for her job; but not good for her personal life.

And there were a lot of complications to work through before anything could really happen. He did work with her, and the FBI was no different than any small business. The whispers and comments could ruin both of them. But for now the innocent flirting, jesters, and winks were fun and flattering.

From where she sat right now Morgan would be worth the trouble.

Morgan couldn’t smile any bigger. Good morning, Sunshine. Morgan folded his arms and leaned on the table. How are you today?

Samantha smiled as she put down her coffee cup.How did you find me? She knew the answer. Did I forget something at work?

No, of course not. I just thought we would have breakfast together and then maybe a walk in the park. You know, spend some time together. Morgan reached across the table and took hold of her hand.

Samantha was shocked. She had no idea what to think. She sat up straight and moved her hand. She couldn’t help but smile back at him no matter how hard she tried not to. She felt like she was back in high school. After what seemed like forever she could speak. And so you found me how?

C’mon How hard could it be? We both know most people are creatures of habit. An…..

Samantha interrupted him. So JJ told you. She laughed. Well, did she bother telling you we have plans for today?

Oh, you mean pizza and old movies. Morgan smiled and sat up. Okay, well, I wouldn’t want to break up girls’ day. So how about dinner tonight?

Look, Morgan.

Morgan stood up from the table. I’ll be there at seven. He began walking away. You know, that really is not a good breakfast. Too much cholesterol. Try some fruit.

Don’t I even get a chance to say no? Samantha looked up and smiled, hoping he would not let her.

Morgan turned around in an instant and strode back to the table. He leaned over towards her. Now we both know you were going to say yes anyway. He kissed her on the cheek and left.

Samantha did not know what was more frustrating; the fact he just assumed she would put everything aside and make time for him…or the fact he was right.

She looked down at the remains of her breakfast. She smiled and pushed it away. Motioning for the waitress to come over, she stood up and gave her a twenty. Keep the change. Samantha walked out of the diner and back into the street. She took a deep breath and headed toward home.

She started her walk home, admiring the shops along Main Street and breathing in the crisp fall air. A beautiful dress in the window of a shop drew her eye.

Hello, ma’am, the store clerk said, opening the door. Is there something I can help you with?

Maybe. Samantha walked inside.

Well, let’s see what we can do. You have a great figure. Something tight, short and black. The store clerk seemed more excited than Samantha.

Maybe a new outfit would make her feel better. Besides, she needed something for tonight. She wanted to blow Morgan’s mind. If you are going to do it, do it right, she mumbled.

She tried on several outfits, all black and short. Finally, she found the one she wanted. It was off the shoulders with a v-neck. It was shimmering but not glowing. Just enough to make it beautiful. It came down to her mid-thigh and fit really well. Wow, that five pounds went to the right place. She smiled as she looked in the mirror.

And now for the perfect shoes. The clerk said, hurrying towards her with a pair of black heels. They looked too high, but after some coaxing she put them on. They were perfect. Black satin. They looked like they were made from the same material as the dress.

Samantha was excited. She decided to try on a few more. She walked through the store. The clerk pulled several more outfits for her to try. In typical FBI style, not a single item in the store went untouched or unobserved. Much to the delight of the clerk, she settled on more than she thought. The clerk took all of the clothes to the front of the store while Samantha got dressed. She ended up with eight outfits, two belts, three purses and six pair of shoes.

$1200 later, Sam walked out of the shop carrying eight outfits, two belts, three purses and six pair of shoes. She was wearing the ninth. It was perfect for a relaxed Saturday morning – black wide bottomed pants in the softest jersey she’d ever felt and an oversized and equally soft top in a muted gray. There was a lightness in her step though she was slowed by the three cumbersome bags at her side.

As she got closer to her place, she realized she didn’t want to go home just yet. Wandering around the block, she ended up behind her building near the playground. She stood there watching the kids run and play. Carefree, happy, and nothing to worry about.

She often ended up here on her walks.

Her mind went back to several years ago when her husband and she took their two-year-old son to the park near their home in Chicago. It had become a regular Sunday afternoon for the three of them.

Tears began to well up in her eyes. She brushed them away and turned toward the entrance to her building.

She walked upstairs like she always did, but her mind had gone numb. On autopilot now, she shuffled back to her bedroom and hung all the clothes in her oversized closet, leaving out the black dress and shoes.

The numbness that had overcome her at the playground turned to pain. She was no longer in a good mood.

Walking into the bathroom, she peered into the eyes of her reflection. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other, Sam.

She took down her hair and tried to brush it. A quick look in the mirror told her there was no way to salvage it. She looked over at the clock beside the bed. 9 AM. She had three hours before JJ would be there.

Sleep was her favorite escape. She fell down across the bed and snuggled up to her pillow. She pushed all of her thoughts out of her head and fell asleep.

Chapter 2

Daniel reluctantly walked to the elevator. Most people looked forward to the end of the day; going home to be with family. But for the last few years he had picked up his two-year old boy Adam at daycare and went to his sisters for supper, then the park or something ‘til bedtime. He did this Monday thru Friday unless his wife was in the hospital again. Her illness had gotten worse and so had his patience. By now he was at his car, staring into space. His job as DA for Chicago was easier than simply going home. He unlocked the door and got inside.

Daniel drove to the daycare, trying to decide where to take Adam for supper. He had learned that if he let him decide it would be pizza hands down. He smiled at the thought of his little boy. It seemed he was the only thing good that came from his ten-year marriage.

Daniel reached the daycare, pulled into the parking lot, got out of the car, and walked across the short path to the playground. He stood at the fence and looked for Adam. He looked everywhere but was not concerned until he saw Ms. Caroline. He waved at her and she started walking over.

Hello, Mr. Thomas. Is there something I can do for you? Ms. Caroline said, looking somewhat confused.

No, I’m just here to pick up Adam, Daniel stated.

I’m sorry, sir, your wife came and got him about an hour ago. She said you called and was working late. I hope that was okay, she said ringing her hands.

NO, NO, it is not all right. I told you, no one is to pick him up but me or my driver. Daniel was furious. He turned and ran to his car. I’ll have that woman’s job if she has hurt my boy. He jumped into his car.

He raced home. Racing, hoping, thinking, and praying.

He pulled into the entrance of his housing development.

Please let everyone be inside, he said to himself as he blew past the guard. Why did I let the driver off today? He was angry at himself. Too late to worry about it now.

He pulled in the driveway. He could hear Adam crying as soon as he got out of the car. Dang it, why did she have to upset that boy. He had been upset enough. I need to have her put away quietly and for good this time.

He began to run towards the front door. Maybe I should just find a way to divorce her.

He reached for the front door and heard Amanda scream. Shut up Adam, just shut up.

Daniel threw the door open and ran inside.

Amanda was sitting at the bar facing the door. She jumped up when she heard Daniel’s voice.

He moved into the foyer towards Adam.

Calm down, Son, it’ll be all right, Daniel said reaching for Adam.

Stop, stop! You think I’m stupid, don’t you?

Daniel was so mad at her for upsetting Adam, he hadn’t noticed the gun in her hand. Easy, Easy! With his hands out stretched, Daniel began to move across the room towards his son.

Amanda was fumbling the gun back and forth between Daniel and Adam. Don’t move! she screamed over and over. I can’t stand it! Shut up, both of you, shut up.

Just take it easy, Daniel said, staring down the barrel of the nickel plated .45 his dad had left him. Amanda, his wife of ten years, seemed to be in a daze, mumbling something he could not understand. Daniel moved slowly, finally reaching Adam. He stepped in front of him trying to console him and stop his crying.

Amanda, just put down the gun. Everything is all right. Outwardly, Daniel wanted to appear calm, but inside he was beginning to panic. Amanda had not been stable for years. She was in and out of hospitals and institutions. Nothing worked for longer than a few months, but this last time the medicine had not worked at all.

Amanda’s hands were shaking. She was crying and twisting her hands in her hair, pulling it out by the handfuls. Adam was crying louder and louder and then fell to the floor. Daniel instinctively lunged for him to pull him from the floor.

Amanda screamed and began to fire the gun in every direction. Daniel fell down over Adam trying to keep him from getting hit.

It’s okay, Adam, Daddy is here. Daniel was hugging him as tight as he could. It was no use. He felt a burning in his side and then another in his arm. There was so much blood. He couldn’t tell if Adam was hit. All he knew was that Adam was screaming like he had never heard him scream before.

I told them, I told them, Amanda muttered. I told them you would try to leave me and take him. You don’t want me anymore. I can’t let you leave me. Don’t you understand? You can’t leave. I told them I would not let you leave me no matter what. No one listens to me, no one listens. This is your fault, Daniel, your fault. She walked towards them and pointed the