The Other Sister (Sister Series, #1) Read online

  The Other Sister

  by

  Leanne Davis

  Sister Series, Book One

  Table of Contents

  Copyright

  Dedication

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Dear Reader

  The Good Sister

  Poison

  Notorious

  Secrets

  About the Author

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents

  are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  The Other Sister

  COPYRIGHT © 2013 by Leanne Davis

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

  Contact Information: [email protected]

  Publishing History First Edition, 2013 Digital

  Sister Series, Book One

  Edited by Teri at The Editing Fairy

  Cover Design by Steven Novak

  Dedication

  To my mom, Diane Fletcher

  For believing in me my entire life

  For always and completely accepting me for exactly who I am

  Thank you for teaching me the kind of mother, and person I want to be

  I have been nothing but grateful for your presence in my life, every single day of my life

  For being my first reader always, and my biggest fan

  And for calling me one day and saying, you must publish this book

  So, mom, this is for you

  I love you

  Other Titles by Leanne Davis

  The Seaclusion Series

  Poison Book One

  Due out from The Wild Rose Press in 2014

  Notorious Book Two

  Secrets Book Three

  Chapter One

  Fort Bragg, North Carolina

  When Will Hendricks stepped into the office, he found himself standing before one of the most decorated and powerful generals in the world.

  The black chair turned slowly as the large man in it swiveled around to meet him. The general was, as always, well dressed, impeccably groomed, standing taller than Will’s own six feet, and as broad-shouldered and fit as he was thirty years ago. Now in his late fifties, General Travis Bains was toned, trim, graying and distinguished. Will’s eyes did not linger on the general. He was standing at attention, one hand to his forehead, his gaze straight ahead, not deviating for anything, in proper military salute towards the officer.

  “William R. Hendricks, I presume?”

  “Sir, yes, sir.”

  “At ease, soldier, you and I are about get real close, real fast.”

  Will glanced in the general’s direction startled by the odd, almost casual statement, as if they were somehow friends, and about to share something.

  “Sit down, Colonel Hendricks, as of now, you aren’t here in any official way, you are here as family friend. Do you understand?”

  Will’s inner radar went up. This wasn’t good. Whatever was going on, his being summoned unexpectedly to the office of one of the most powerful men in the world wasn’t typical. It wasn’t normal. It wasn’t good for Will. The general sighed as he leaned forward, setting his elbows on his desk. He gestured toward the chair across the massive desk. An American flag stood at the left of it, along with the army color guard.

  “Sit.”

  Will sat down on the edge of the chair, his back ramrod straight, his legs parted and perfectly perpendicular to the floor. There was no way he could relax in General Bains’s office as if they were, to quote him, “family friends.”

  “You know my daughter?”

  His daughter? The question came out of left field, almost as much as the strange summons. He knew the general’s daughter, Second Lieutenant Lindsey Bains, in a casual way. They worked together, were on the same base, and once went out for drinks. But know her? Not exactly. Was there some kind of scandal going on involving the general’s daughter, in which his name had somehow come up?

  “Yes, sir. I know Second Lieutenant Bains.”

  “Relax, soldier, she gave me your name because I need your help, and she trusts you. Don’t prove her wrong. Can I trust you?”

  “Yes, sir,” Will said without hesitation. He was already in deep if Lindsey Bains singled him out. There was no escaping whatever the general wanted, and no chance of bowing out and saying “No, thank you.” Not if a soldier valued his career. Or, at the least, did not want the remainder of his military life made miserable.

  General Bains leaned back in his chair and drummed his fingers on the armrest. “So here’s the problem, and why I need a family friend to help me fix it. Not in any official capacity, you understand. You are not required, nor will any negative consequences befall you, if you decline my request. I want that clear, and totally understood.”

  “Yes, sir, understood.”

  “I assume since you know Lindsey, you’ve heard of my other daughter?”

  “Sir?” Will had no idea where this was headed. Daughters? What the hell was going on? He was pulled unexpectedly from his platoon and immediately escorted to see General Bains in his private office.

  “You don’t have to play dumb, I know all the troops have heard of Jessie Bains. Her behavior is neither a surprise nor a secret.”

  “I don’t know her, sir.”

  “Right. You’ve heard of her though?”

  “Yes, sir,” Will said after a brief pause. Who hadn’t heard of Jessie Bains? Soldiers had long been having X-rated fantasies about the general’s other daughter. She was well known to do anything and everything. She was wild, careless, and slutty, unlike her older sister, Lindsey, who was not. The contrast between the two was so polar, there was even an article running in one of the gossip magazines. Not that Will read those, or cared. But he was aware of the scuttle, and showed concern only for Lindsey. He always liked her and thought she didn’t deserve the attention she got because of her younger sister’s rash behavior.

  “Have you seen the tape?”

  Will pressed his lips. How the hell was he supposed to answer that? Of course, he knew about the tape. It rocked through the ranks after it was released. The entire nation went on and on about the tape’s graphic sexual content, especially since the girl in it was the daughter of the most famous, respected, and dynamic general to come out of the Army in the last fifty years.

  The general stood up while waiting for Will to answer. He flipped a switch and suddenly, a flat screen on the wall started playing a tape. Not just any tape, but that one. Will’s rigid self-control was challenged by the shock of what he saw in the general�
�s office. He closed his mouth, and tried to wipe the astonishment from his eyes before the general turned back towards him. On the screen, the man’s daughter, dressed in a slutty version of army fatigues was slowly performing a lewd strip tease. Up close and personally, the camera moved over the girl. The general turned back to Will, and his expression remained totally neutral. There was no shock, no disgust, no disbelief, but rather, clinical detachment. Will had no idea where this could possibly be going.

  “That tape. Have you seen it, Will?”

  Oh, now he was Will? Behind the general, Will glimpsed his daughter’s white, naked ass as she bent over, and the camera went in for a close-up. Will turned his head away.

  “I’ve heard about it.”

  “Well that’s her, my daughter, Jessie Bains.” The general calmly switched off the TV as the naked girl put on bright red lipstick and laughed. It didn’t take too much of a stretch of the imagination to guess what was coming next in her little script.

  Will didn’t know what to make of it. Why did the general associate him with any connection to the tape? He sure as hell wasn’t the man in the tape or linked in any other way. Did the general think he was? Nervously worrying about his career, and if it was over, Will still didn’t know what could possibly involve him with Jessie Bains.

  “She was kidnapped yesterday. I think it’s because of this tape that she was chosen to be taken and ransomed to me. I believe this made her known to one of several groups I’ve spent a considerable amount of my career being vocally against. Groups that deal in arms and drugs and lead to places that can easily hide terrorist. I am quite politically active, and I assume it is because of my association with the military, and because of my political beliefs that this group decided to target me, and therefore Jessie. And they probably think I have the kind of money they want.”

  Will’s mouth dropped open. He never saw that development coming, not in a million years.

  “Sir?” Will prodded, after the general stopped talking and appeared to be lost in thought.

  “They want several million dollars for her. Not a huge amount by international standards. But to me, personally, I obviously don’t have that kind of money. This is a civilian matter, so there is nothing I can ask the military to do for me. But that leaves me in something of a situation.”

  The man’s daughter is being held for ransom and he calls it a “situation?” Understatement of the century. Perhaps his cool, calm, cold-blooded analytical skills were what took General Bains as far as he now was in his life and career. Will admired it, but wondered why the man didn’t seem slightly more upset.

  “I have access to the best trained men in the world, and I could have a dream team put together in an instant in order to execute an extraction. But as you know, my hands are tied and I can’t do that. This situation isn’t professional, it’s personal. It’s a police matter. But the thing is: I know these types of people and the police can’t touch them.”

  Will’s stomach plummeted to his feet as he immediately realized exactly why the bizarre circumstances involved him. “But I can,” Will replied glumly, finishing the general’s sentence. Such an action was unheard of in his entire career as a soldier: interrupting a superior officer. But the utter shock and bewilderment as he pondered where his day had just gone, felt like the general just decked him.

  “Yes, judging by your record, and your reputation, I’m sure you could. You understand, of course, there is no pressure. It’s your decision and yours alone.”

  Will easily recognized that was a load of shit. “Yes, sir. What do you have in mind?”

  “You’re in then?”

  Without knowing any of the details? Hell no! But the expectant, steady glare General Bains had in his eyes as he stared at him, seemed to penetrate his very soul, Will knew he was in. There was no other choice.

  “Yes, sir.”

  The general nodded and smiled as he rested a hand on Will’s shoulder. “I’m proud of you, son. Your bravery is exceptional. I promise to reward you for your heroism. Whether now, or later, I do promise you.”

  Unless he failed. Will could feel the dynamic strength of the general’s grip on his shoulder, and physically experienced the powerful grasp of the general’s will. The draw of General Bains’s legendary charisma had men by the hundreds lining up to do whatever the general requested, literally to die for him. He inspired that much loyalty in his men. Even Will, who was wary of being indebted to anyone, could feel it.

  “Who has her, sir? What’s the plan?”

  “I believe a drug cartel who operates primarily out of Mexico kidnapped my daughter. It’s their revenge for certain policies I strongly back and have tried to further politically in my spare time.”

  “Why would they target your daughter, sir?”

  “Ruthless, isn’t it? What better way to strike terror in honest American soldiers than to ignore the soldiers trained to fight, and prey on their innocent families? Even their daughters?”

  Will got chills down his spine. The concept was such an egregious, but effective tool of war.

  “What’re your plans, sir?”

  “You looking for a vacation?”

  Will nodded. He knew what that meant. “Yes, sir, I’m looking for a vacation.”

  The general sat back down, and smiled at Will. “Good, soldier. That sounds like a great idea.”

  ****

  Will couldn’t believe he was not being assisted. Not one team member. No one from the army special forces. The general palmed him off to one of his lackey staff members. It had to be one whom he completely trusted, because the man knew everything. He handed Will some money, without saying a word as to what he should do with it. He instructed that Will would be dropped by a private plane the general had arranged for their use. Then, he was left alone in a room that seemed to be where the general kept his private collection of weapons: guns, ammo, knives, and grenades. He stood up as he waited for someone to come around and tell him what they wanted him to do. But no one came. And his stomach cramped as he figured out his answer, he was going off the grid. He was acting alone. He had to rescue the general’s daughter on his own. With that thought, he armed himself generously until he had enough guns and ammo to outfit his own small army.

  After being dropped he would travel the rest of the way using a rental car. The general pinpointed his daughter’s location right down to a damn dot on a map. How did the general know exactly where she was imprisoned? And how did he know so quickly? It rang false. But…short of accusing the general of something, he had no reason not to believe him. Besides the man’s daughter was being held for ransom, he must have immediately collected all of the information he could from the networks of powerful connections he had to have both in Washington D.C., and in the military.

  And all he asked of Will was that he go there and bring her home. He was forbidden to contact the general until he had Jessie Bains safely in his custody. Will wondered if anyone would know or care if he were killed.

  He considered hiring some men. An ex-ranger he knew still salivated for this kind of shit: undertaking a mission and playing war with guns and knives. Some men could never assimilate into regular life. But he decided against it. Too risky. Some ex-operatives became bitter at no longer being a part of the drama, although they well understood how it all worked. If anyone realized what a hot bomb they were sitting on with Jessie Bains, Will was sure they’d use it, and he couldn’t risk it. The only person he could trust not to screw it up, or spill the beans, was himself.

  Now all he had to do was successfully complete the general’s request or spend the rest of his career scrubbing latrine floors.

  ****

  Somewhere in Mexico

  Jessie Bains’s eyes no longer strained to see in the constant darkness that surrounded her. Initially, she screamed hysterically and carried on, undergoing sheer terror, frustration, and finally, rage. At this point, she truly believed no one cared, and that she really was doomed. The darkness was the wors
t part. It clung to her and made her feel like she was being drowned in the furthest leagues of the deepest ocean. The darkness was slowly consuming her, gnawing away at her. She was chained to the wall of an unlit cement cell, a heavy steel door the only access to the undersized, square prison.

  The walls were cold and slimy from mold and mildew. The air was rancid, stagnant, and stifling. When the hooded stranger first threw her in the enclosure, she recoiled in horror. The coldness of the damp walls, the musty odor, and her underlying terror of being buried in cement, in the dark, enclosed room, with no access to daylight only made her think of a grave.

  She had been confined three days already. She felt like she endured three lifetimes during those seventy-six hours. Three lifetimes of dread, fear, and sheer terror so gut wrenching and severe, she could never have imagined such horror in her worst nightmare. Intense isolation and claustrophobia, panic, rage, helplessness—nothing in her life could prepare her for this.

  But why her? Why was this happening to her?

  The critical query in her mind spun around repeatedly in her brain. Why would anyone kidnap her? What could they possibly want from her? She didn’t know who they were, why they grabbed her, or where in the world she now was. She’d only been walking back to her car on a very ordinary evening after a short trip to the local mall. That was it! That was all she was doing. She bought a pair of new shoes and then… a white van stopped beside her. Before she could react or think, much less scream, she was forcibly hoisted into the van. And thus began her descent into the hell she now experienced.

  Now, after more than seventy-six hours, she was almost resigned to her fate. After screaming for help until she was hoarse, which she knew in her soul was utterly useless, no one came to her rescue. She was well and truly alone. But inside, her heart still screamed. Her mouth felt frozen open in terror. And her soul was beginning to shrivel from fright.

  She felt exhausted, and couldn’t muster the energy to move. She sat on the floor against the wall, her legs drawn up to her chest, her arms around her legs, and buried her head in her knees, closing her eyes. For some reason, shutting her eyes in the terrifying darkness comforted her. Perhaps it gave her more control, by shutting out the darkness, she could also shut out the tiny cell, and the memory that she was trapped.