There Is No Place to Hide - Softcover

Morgan, Nicholas Ralph

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1462020909 ISBN 13: 9781462020904

Publisher: iUniverse, 2011

Synopsis

Susannah has escaped death yet again, and the Harrison family is utterly disheartened. They were so close to getting back to living normal lives; then again, nothing is ever normal for Greg and Gavin Harrison. In this final installment of Nicholas Ralph Morgan's suspense series, the brothers' travels span the globe as they seek to find the vengeful Susannah before she kills them both. Susannah faces serious medical treatment following the devastating fire that almost took her life. As her health improves, her need for revenge intensifies. She continues her hunt for Greg and Gavin, not knowing that they are actively seeking her, as well. The brothers have to be careful as they search; they must hide until the time is right. They aren't hiding just from their would-be assassin. The Harrison brothers face murder charges in New York and Norway. The police are searching the world; imprisonment hangs above their heads like a guillotine. Will it be Susannah or the local authorities who strike the final death blow? Or will Greg and Gavin outsmart both the cops and their evil nemesis at her own game? Only time will tell, as Greg, Gavin, and Susannah come to realize ... There Is No Place to Hide.

About this title

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

There Is No Place To Hide

By Nicholas Ralph Morgan

iUniverse, Inc.

Copyright © 2011 Nicholas Ralph Morgan
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4620-2090-4

Contents

Chapter 1 A Blazing Inferno............................1Chapter 2 The Nightmare Resumes........................24Chapter 3 Revenge Flares Up............................37Chapter 4 on The Run...................................59Chapter 5 The secret Agent.............................77Chapter 6 A Mariner's Life.............................94Chapter 7 Discovery....................................106Chapter 8 The Harsh Reality............................124Chapter 9 The Killer ocean.............................140Chapter 10 subterfuge..................................149Chapter 11 The Mission.................................165Chapter 12 Caught In A Trap............................184Chapter 13 A Blast From The Past.......................197Chapter 14 Colette.....................................211Chapter 15 Missing And Murder..........................232Chapter 16 Greg's Trial................................240Chapter 17 The Assassination...........................246Chapter 18 Who Lives And Who Dies?.....................256

Chapter One

A Blazing Inferno

Fragments of flesh and material draped through his fingers.

Dusk fell over the Caribbean island of Martinique. Susannah approached Gavin's yacht. she knew the police would be at Gavin's house and pampering to his safety as a result of the hand delivered Christmas card conveying her death wish. she also knew Friday nights were Gavin's night on his yacht. The predictable millionaire would realise she was there and unable to resist showing up. Susannah was confident that Gavin would not alert the police to her assumed whereabouts, a personal confrontation would be more his style, and the gun concealed in her trouser pocket would ratify her revenge. However, not to be complacent, Susannah had watched from a distance, the neighbouring forest was a perfect hiding place. The police had not shown up, in fact the marina lay still and tranquil.

Susannah emerged from the tropical haven and stepped out on to the boardwalk. she casually strolled the thirty feet or so to Gavin's yacht. she muttered a disgruntled comment on seeing Veronique's name written across the bow.

"I hope you enjoy widowhood Veronique." Susannah stepped aboard. once on deck she viewed the vicinity. There was not anyone else about; the marina was silent. The many yachts moored bobbed slightly as the Caribbean sea rippled ashore. Susannah retrieved the spare cabin key from the life jacket box, the result of a previous suggestion to Gavin all those years ago. She had encouraged him to hide the spare key there whilst pretending to be his girlfriend. Susannah gave a self-satisfying smile. It was time to reap the many seeds she had sown. She also spared a brief moment for reflection. She was remorseful for the innocent people she had killed. Perhaps one would accuse her of being harsh, uncaring and even evil, and also be of the opinion she was too consumed with hate to ever love or be sympathetic, or ever feel compassion for another person. Her answer to them would be that they were wrong. Susannah did not like the person she had become. Revenge had completely ruined her life. Yet this sentiment only empowered her to kill Gavin and now Greg. Her wrists and ankles may have healed from where Greg had handcuffed her to his bed, but her imprisonment would not be forgiven. She remembered the pain of those five days, which seemed an eternity, especially after Greg had poured salt into her cuts. He had wilfully ignored her many pleas for clemency. Therefore she too will be as ruthless, her retribution unstoppable. It was a certainty that if she did not kill Gavin and Greg then they would kill her. Greg would have succeeded had Kirsti Løvik not rescued her.

Susannah unlocked the door and entered the cabin. To remain hidden she refrained from putting any lights on. she sat in the dark and viewed the boardwalk, awaiting Gavin's approach. The marina lights shone through the cabin portholes, permitting enough light for Susannah to move about. She expected a long wait but that did not bother her. She browsed through the cabin, keeping a watchful eye outside. Susannah took a bottle of wine from the fridge and poured herself a glass. she quite enjoyed the creature comforts. The luxurious yacht was to her liking, but her appreciation was tainted, knowing that it belonged to Gavin. Susannah laughed as she proposed a toast.

"To Gavin and Greg, who are like two peas in a pod, both as gullible as the other. May my revenge be as sweet as this wine." She took a swig and then another.

Susannah sat in the shadows, her viewpoint being the boardwalk that led to the yacht. She limited herself to one glass of wine, eager to keep a level head. Should Gavin not take the bait and fail to show up then she would pay him a visit during the night. Plan B was to creep into the house and shoot him as he slept. What a Christmas present for Veronique that would be.

"No I do not believe it," uttered Susannah in disgust. she saw Rebecca approaching. "What the hell is she doing here?" Susannah heard Rebecca's footsteps as she walked on deck. "Bloody go away," muttered Susannah under her breath. She did not want any added distractions as per usual. Unfortunately, Rebecca descended the few steps into the cabin. Susannah hid in the dark, but soon realised that a confrontation with the Texan was inevitable. Susannah switched on the light. Rebecca flinched and turned on the spot.

"Hello Rebecca," said Susannah, standing proudly. Rebecca saw the woman she hated the most standing three yards away from her. "Are you not pleased to see me?" added Susannah in a smug voice.

"How come you're not dead?" replied Rebecca, having gathered her senses. Susannah laughed. Her vibrant auburn wig bobbed gently above her shoulders, hiding the blonde fashion hairstyle of Chantelle Duveton.

"Thanks to a bulletproof vest my life was spared when Karl tried to stab me to death with a ski stick. As if that would finish me off."

"Then maybe I will finish you off," threatened Rebecca.

"You did not succeed before and you won't now Rebecca or should I say Cassandra?" replied Susannah, exhuming her posh accent in a condescending manner.

"Are you and Kirsti Løvik in this together?"

"Up until a couple of weeks ago Kirsti Løvik did not know I was alive. I knew the police would question her so I maintained a distance. It was better for her that she believed I was dead. That way she could not be caught out by police questions like she was caught out during my trial. Yet what joy I received when reading about the ant infestation of Gavin's plantation, and then the closure, not to mention the takeover bids. I thought good on you Kirsti Løvik, bankrupt him."

"You think you're so smart," sneered Rebecca.

"But I am smart. That's why I had plastic pockets of raspberry sauce attached to my bulletproof vest to simulate blood, should I be shot, courtesy of theatrical cosmetics. There was Gavin shooting at me from the cable car as I tried to axe through the cables. I was being perspicacious and thinking ahead. If I ended up in a no win situation then I would bide my time and pretend to be dead. Many soldiers in past wars have done the same behind enemy lines so I was more than prepared to follow suit. only it was not as a result of Gavin or anyone else shooting me, it was down to Karl and a ski stick. Yet the end result was the same. When Tor Hegland appeared on the scene, all he saw was a defenceless woman being brutally attacked. In his quest to save me, assuming I was an innocent victim, he declared I was dead. It was his way of being cautious and to appease Karl's vicious onslaught. Can you imagine how I felt, lying there and hearing him say I was dead? either I was a good actress or he had no medical abilities. What else could I do but let him carry my body away," stated Susannah.

Rebecca knew this was her chance to kill the pompous English wretch. Susannah may delight in revealing the truth but her sick denouement will be short-lived.

Susannah continued her statement. She was proud of her conquest.

"Tor Hegland looked after me for a while. He nursed my fractured skull, thanks to Karl bashing me over the head with the fire extinguisher. I was semiconscious as Karl stabbed me, so I could not really fight back. Thankfully Tor Hegland rescued me. To be honest he fancied me. Of course I led him on, but then as time went by he realised his mistake. He was going to report me to the police. He even tried persuading me to hand myself in and relent from my endeavour to kill Gavin. He appealed to my better nature." Susannah laughed at the apparent hypocrisy. "Of course as you may know he died. In hindsight I guess there was no other option. He had a weak heart you know, so he could have died at any time. I really can't take all the credit."

"Do you have a conscience or were you born evil?"

"That is a harsh thing to say. I never did any wrong before Gavin killed my husband. Incidentally Rebecca, what is it like to be an orphan?"

"You killed my parents!" shouted Rebecca and launched herself at Susannah. Rebecca applied a tennis motion and used a backhander to wallop Susannah across the face. Susannah was ready for the fight. The punch hurt but it did not stop her retaliation.

"What a pity it wasn't you who died in the car crash," said Susannah, defending herself. She grabbed Rebecca's hair and smacked her in the face. Rebecca returned the assault and kneed Susannah in the abdomen. Rebecca then used her bodyweight and knocked Susannah to the floor. Within the confines of the cabin the two females wrestled. Aggression was high; hatred was higher. Punches and kicks were numerous. To inflict pain was paramount.

Susannah was pleased with this little diversion as she waited for Gavin to show up. It was just perfect to hide in the dark and surprise him. Third time lucky. This time she will shoot him. However, Rebecca had turned up unexpectedly. Never mind, this is just the warm up act.

The fight continued. Rebecca banged Susannah's head against the wooden floor, dislodging the auburn wig that emulated Susannah's previous hairstyle. The short blonde hairstyle of Chantelle Duveton was revealed.

"You are gonna die for killing Greg and my folks. Even if I die in the process, so be it. You will not live past this moment!" screamed Rebecca, her heightened temperament in full force. Susannah lifted her legs up as if to perform a backward roll. This enabled her to push Rebecca away. "If your folks hadn't died then you would not have been able to buy Calypso Tavern," panted Susannah. "It was a happy day for me when Gavin put Calypso Tavern up for sale." Rebecca regained her balance and stood up. Like a bull charging towards its matador she ran into Susannah, knocking her backwards against the cabin wall. In defence Susannah head butted Rebecca and threw her to the floor. Rebecca used the cabin seats for leverage and pulled herself up. Both females felt breathless and refrained for a few seconds from their physical attack.

"You can kick and punch me all you like," gasped Rebecca. "But I am gonna kill you." Rebecca employed a karate kick at Susannah, hitting her in the face. She then followed it with another kick to the stomach. Years of dance training were most useful. Susannah stumbled backwards, but managed to use the cabin wall to retain an upright position.

"Nice try cowgirl but not good enough," panted Susannah, attempting to conceal the pain. "I must admit I am completely baffled as to why you're so hung up on Greg. He did not love you."

"What rubbish! It won't work Susannah. Your words don't hurt me," reacted Rebecca angrily.

"Oh how gallant," mocked Susannah accentuating her English accent. "Do we still feel lonely at night? No Greg to snuggle up to. Mind you I must confess that Greg was good in bed," remarked Susannah, deliberately provoking Rebecca.

"How pathetic you are. You really are clutching at loose straws, desperate to have the upper hand," replied Rebecca in a contemptible voice. "Greg would never come anywhere near you."

"Believe what you like cowgirl, but I actually liked the butterfly tattoo on his buttocks, did you?" came Susannah's antagonised reply. Rebecca screamed out in anger as she attacked Susannah, bashing her face with her arm. How did she know about Greg's tattoo? He would not have slept with her. Rebecca's temper was unstoppable. she dragged Susannah to the floor and punched her several times. Rebecca used her bodyweight to keep her down. In spite of this Susannah reached inside her trouser pocket and withdrew her pistol. The fun of fighting was now over. It was time to exact her revenge.

Rebecca reacted on seeing the firearm, and managed to knock the gun out of Susannah's hand. she punched Susannah in the face yet again. They wrestled ferociously, each attempting to grab the gun. Rebecca was evil as she fought Susannah. The gun lay a few feet away. Susannah managed to break free and reached out for it.

"Oh no you don't, bitch!" shouted Rebecca. She threw her body on top of Susannah. The gun was inches away.

Susannah screamed out in pain but this only fuelled her anger. Susannah was determined to get the gun. she acted like a wild lion and pushed her body upwards, causing Rebecca to fall away. Again Susannah reached for the gun, her hand grasped the weapon. Rebecca gripped Susannah's arm with both hands and pulled Susannah towards her. she had to get the gun from her. Susannah tried to aim the gun at Rebecca. They struggled on the floor. The only thing Rebecca could do was bite into Susannah's arm until she dropped the weapon.

"Stop fighting now!" shouted Gavin as he stood at the cabin entrance. He was holding a ten-litre can of petrol that he had taken from the storage cupboard on deck. Rebecca quickly grabbed the gun and crawled away from Susannah. Both females were breathless and looked dishevelled. Susannah slowly rose to her feet. She was obviously annoyed at losing possession of the gun. She saw her auburn wig lying on the floor. Rebecca also stood up and aimed the gun at Susannah.

"How nice of you to join us," stated Susannah, panting for breath. she continued to speak. "I knew you would think I was here, and could not resist coming to see me. Incidentally, did you like my Christmas card? I have lost count how many times I have tried to kill you by surprise. Yet it always ended up with someone else being killed, like Rebecca's folks. I mistakenly thought the Mercedes was yours. so I thought this time I would try a different approach, and let you know I was going to kill you, to see if that brought better results," relayed Susannah between gasps of breath.

"The only person doing any killing is me," retorted Rebecca, holding the gun. Her aim poised with her finger on the trigger.

"No Rebecca," intervened Gavin. "Don't incriminate yourself. I am going to kill her and make it look like an accident." Gavin removed the cap from the petrol canister.

"You can't kill me Gavin," said Susannah in a mellow voice. "You still love me."

"You make me sick!" shouted Gavin. "Did you kidnap Gregori?"

"Now Gavin, you must know that was Tanya, but I did organise it, and thanks for the $2 million. And just to put your mind at rest I am Gabriella Korakova. I pinched the name from Kirsti Løvik. she told me in prison that she was going to use the name for her Russian business identity," confessed Susannah.

"Let me shoot the bitch," stated Rebecca.

"No," reiterated Gavin, but Rebecca defied him. she pulled the trigger, but the safety mechanism jammed. Rebecca quickly dislodged the barrel. The gun was fully loaded. she successfully re-primed the weapon and resumed her aim. Susannah took advantage of the opportunity to escape. she ran at Gavin, eager to get past him, but Gavin was not going to let her escape. They struggled briefly. Susannah kicked him and bit his cheek, but Gavin's strength prevailed. He trapped Susannah in a deadlock around her throat and doused her in petrol. The inflammable liquid splashed everywhere, including over Gavin as he frantically shook the canister. some of the liquid even went down her throat. Susannah coughed and spluttered as Gavin threw her back into the cabin. Rebecca seized her moment and aimed the pistol. Without any hesitation she pulled the trigger. The bullet hit Susannah in the shoulder, causing her to fall backwards. Rebecca pulled the trigger again, but once more the mechanism jammed.

"What is wrong with this gun?" she cursed. Susannah sat helpless on the floor in the far corner. Her shoulder was bleeding, but it did not stop her vicious tongue.

"How to sabotage your empire was such a delight to work out," shouted Susannah with much hatred in her voice. "Who likes sugar the most? Ants. I remember saying to Kirsti Løvik how I wished ants would ruin your plantation business. I was proud that she had followed up on my plan to destroy you." Despite her verbal attack Susannah recognised her vulnerability. Her mind searched for a method of killing Gavin and saving herself.

"Did you also cause the avalanche?" questioned Gavin, as he approached the wretch that had blighted his life for the past nine years. He still carried the half-emptied canister of petrol.

"Of course I did," Susannah vehemently replied.

(Continues...)

Excerpted from There Is No Place To Hideby Nicholas Ralph Morgan Copyright © 2011 by Nicholas Ralph Morgan. Excerpted by permission of iUniverse, Inc.. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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Edition details

• Publisher: iUniverse
• Publication date: 2011
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1462020909
• ISBN 13: 9781462020904
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 296