Back Bitter Pill
Chapters (47)
  1. Also by
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright Page
  4. Prologue
  5. Chapter 1
  6. Chapter 2
  7. Chapter 3
  8. Chapter 4
  9. Chapter 5
  10. Chapter 6
  11. Chapter 7
  12. Chapter 8
  13. Chapter 9
  14. Chapter 10
  15. Chapter 11
  16. Chapter 12
  17. Chapter 13
  18. Chapter 14
  19. Chapter 15
  20. Chapter 16
  21. Chapter 17
  22. Chapter 18
  23. Chapter 19
  24. Chapter 20
  25. Chapter 21
  26. Chapter 22
  27. Chapter 23
  28. Chapter 24
  29. Chapter 25
  30. Chapter 26
  31. Chapter 27
  32. Chapter 28
  33. Chapter 29
  34. Chapter 30
  35. Chapter 31
  36. Chapter 32
  37. Chapter 33
  38. Chapter 34
  39. Chapter 35
  40. Chapter 36
  41. Chapter 37
  42. Chapter 38
  43. Chapter 39
  44. Chapter 40
  45. Chapter 41
  46. Epilogue
  47. Teaser chapter

“Yes, you are, because according to the blueprints, each office has a vault—a Scripps Safe TRXP Series pharmacy vault. We may need your safecracking expertise at all three locations. Those vaults are not easy to break into.” Charles looked directly at Annie, who eagerly rubbed her hands together.

Charlotte gasped at the revelation that her old friend, perhaps the richest woman in the world, was an accomplished safecracker. The girls all chuckled at her reaction.

Myra said, “Three critical things we must focus on. First, Maggie needs to talk to the Thompson family and see what we can learn about the circumstances of her death. Second, Isabelle and Alexis have to find out about Marjorie Brewster’s condition. Finally, as a group, we need to decide how these poor excuses for human beings are going to pay for their sins.”

“We need to find their Achilles’ heels.” Nikki tapped her pen on the table. “But I don’t think it will be in those vaults.”

“You are correct, but we do need to know what they’re hiding,” Charles replied.

“Myra also makes a good point. It’s a twofold operation. Which do we pursue first? Or do you think we can gather what we need simultaneously?” Nikki asked.

“We should have more intel from Avery and his crew by tomorrow. Once we know what we are dealing with, we can assign everyone her duties,” Fergus added.

“What about the snatch?” Yoko asked. “How will we coordinate three at once? We can’t do that in stages, because the others will find out and probably flee.”

“Good point.” Myra touched her pearls. “I’ve been thinking.”

In unison, the group chorused a teasing “Uh-oh” and broke into fits of laughter.

Myra shook her head and smiled. “As I was saying. We know that emotional pain can be much more excruciating than physical pain. With the exception of children or pets, we need to find what would cause these men to suffer mentally.”

“And I was hoping for another scorching.” Alexis reminded them of their last mission, with a woman who had a penchant for very expensive shoes and abused her adopted son. She would have a very difficult time squeezing her feet into four-thousand-dollar Manolo Blahniks now.

“Ew. I remember how badly that smelled. Let’s not do that again, please,” Yoko added her opinion. “Can’t we just send them off somewhere with Pearl?” Pearl Barnes was their “relocation” connection. She ran a secret underground railroad for abused women and children and occasionally freelanced for the Sisterhood. Except the people the Sisterhood provided were not sent to a safe house, but more like to the most unsafe place people would want to find themselves.

“As soon as we know a little more about these men, we’ll be able to plan their grand finales, that is, the one before God gets His hands on them,” Myra added.

Annie made a list:

1. Maggie on the Thompson story.