Red Secrets: Red Crime Thriller Series, #5

By Tania Stephanson

The drug dealer, Damien, is still on the loose. The RCMP and Winnipeg City Police have been working together to gather enough evidence to bring him down. Meanwhile, Bobbie the Hypnotist is at large, leaving a trail of bodies behind her. The lives of Lana, Stacey, Brittany, Elaina and Kevin are linked together by chaos.

 

In story 5 of the Red Crime Thriller series, the characters of the previous four stories come together. If you have not read the previous stories, a detailed synopsis is included for each of them.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sable BooKnight
• Release date: Nov 1, 2020
• ISBN: 9781777158385

Book preview

Red Secrets

––––––––

Original Photograph by Kristina Flour via Unsplash

Cover designed by Tania Stephanson

––––––––

The names in this story are fictitious.

Any similarities are strictly coincidental.

––––––––

Copyright remains with the writer and artist credited. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form, including electronic or digital, without the permission of the writer or artist.

The Red Series

––––––––

Red Leaves

Red Snow

Red Lies

Red River

Red Secrets

Table of Contents

Message to the Reader

Introduction

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

Six

Seven

Eight

Nine

Ten

Eleven

Twelve

Thirteen

Fourteen

Fifteen

Sixteen

Seventeen

Eighteen

Nineteen

Red Series Synopsis

About the Author

Message to the Reader

Thank you for purchasing this eBook! If you have not read the previous stories in the Red Crime Thriller series, or if you’d like a refresher, please refer to the Red Series Synopsis listed in the table of contents.

Introduction

The drug dealer, Damien, is still on the loose. The RCMP and Winnipeg City Police have been working together to gather enough evidence to bring him down. Meanwhile, Bobbie the Hypnotist is at large, leaving a trail of bodies behind her. The lives of Lana, Stacey, Brittany, Elaina and Kevin are linked together by chaos.

One

––––––––

Kevin

Walking brings me peace. The long, white wall of sandbags stretches in the distance. I hope we did enough to save them: the memories, belongings, families. I tap the RCMP business card against my hand. If I apply, I can help more people, but do I have what it takes?

I lean against the ship monument, gazing over the Red River. It’s rising fast. At least we finished sandbagging in time. And stopped Carl. Movement on the Selkirk bridge catches my attention. A man leans over the railing. A woman with short. red hair rushes away from him. My stomach churns as he climbs and drops into the fast-moving water.

No! I shout as I rush towards the concrete edge overlooking the river.

The man’s arms flail as he goes under, resurfaces, then slips under again.

I toss my phone and the business card to the ground and take a deep breath before diving in. The icy water is a shock, and I gasp for air.

The current pushes me north and fights me as I swim toward the man. Don’t let there be another death. Water suffocates me as I am forced under. Surfacing, I choke and struggle to breathe. I must reach him. At last I pull him by the collar towards shore. The current... it’s too strong! It carries us down the river. Between breaths, I tell him to hold on. I hope he can hear me.

People gather on the shoreline before the first bend.

They saw us! Help! My mouth fills with water. I spit out most but swallow the rest. My heart is racing; my chest is heavy. I try to look back, but the current is too much. Help! Focus. Don’t let go.

Further around the bend is a large, red, and white boat. It slices through the rough water.

We pass the boat. Lacking breath to shout, I wave an arm around desperately. The man slips from my grasp, but I recover him. The boat’s turning! They must have seen us. Hold on, buddy. My frozen limbs stiffen as my energy dwindles. The man stills in my grasp. We won’t make it. My vision blurs.

The boat nears, then slows. A man with a red vest tosses out a life preserver. Grab it!

The coastguard! I struggle to hold the man as I reach for the white and red donut with my stiff, left arm.

The Red River’s current carries us closer to the boat as the engine cuts out. The man on board reaches out as the helmsman rushes to help. Together they pull the man from my grasp. Choking on the water, I shove the preserver under my chin and against my chest. Everything spins fast.

Hands reach for me.

Finally. It’s over.

––––––––

Elaina

Pulling into the hospital I fight the urge to vomit. What if he had died? The way we left things... Will he ever forgive me? I rush through the entrance, check in with reception, and a nurse escorts me to his room.

Derek lies on a hospital bed, looking pale. An I.V. is taped to the back of his hand and a blood pressure machine kicks in. I cover my mouth. This is too real. Taking a deep breath, I enter the room.

Babe, I’m okay. He reaches for me, but the movement tugs on his I.V. cord. I was such a dick.

I touch his arm. Don’t move, I’m here. I sit on a chair next to the bed.

He smiles. Everything’s okay, Elaina.

No, no, it’s not. I leave and on the same day you nearly drown? This is my fault. All of it. I shouldn’t have left.

Officer Kim Stanton appears in the doorway. You were right, Miss Thompson. Kevin (last name), the man who saved Derek, saw a woman matching Bobbie’s description on the bridge. She may be responsible for the recent presumed suicides. Other cities she’s performed in across Canada had similar situations. The Selkirk RCMP are bringing the Winnipeg City Police in on the case.

This is insane. I shake my head in disbelief.

Derek squeezes my hand and whispers, I’m sorry.

I squeeze his hand in response, then whisper, It wasn’t your fault.

Stanton leans against the door frame. We found her hotel room empty, and she left her stage equipment and crew behind. She must have known someone saw her. Now she’s on the run.

I sigh. I hope they track her down before more people die. What if Derek had died? I run my thumb along the back of his hand. I still love him.

She nods. We’ve notified authorities in all provinces. We’ll find her.

Thank you, Officer Stanton. I smile.

Just doing my job. She nods and leaves the room.

I kiss Derek’s forehead. His skin is ice-cold against my lips. A man saved you?

Yes, and I haven’t even thanked him. Babe, I should have listened. You were right about Bobbie.

Shut up. I grin. It doesn’t matter. I’m just relieved you’re okay. When I got the call, I almost passed out at the grocery store. A woman caught me.

Good thing. His expression saddens. Are you still... gone?

I sigh. Is love enough to stay?  I don’t know. Maybe. For now.

Why? I showed you the ring box. Isn’t that what you wanted? A proposal?

There’s that feeling again; the feeling of being trapped. That wasn’t a proposal, Derek. You only showed it to me because we were fighting. Besides, I recognized the box. Red velvet with gold trim. Your mother’s been holding it for you since your grandma passed away.

Derek closes his eyes. I forgot she told you about that.

Our first dinner at your parents’ place. She probably hoped I’d take it as a hint to stick around.

He opens his eyes. A tear moistens his bottom eyelid. I hope you stick around.

I look away, tightening my lips.

Please, give us another chance... I love you. His voice hoarse with emotion.

I sigh. I love you, too. You’ve been my best friend since high school. But sometimes, it’s just not enough.