Mummies & Daddies (WAYHAUGHT)

Chapter 32

Nicole didn't know why she said it, or why it mattered anymore, but it felt good, damn good. "We have the amulet bitch."

"You!" Mercedes replied, recognising Nicole's voice.

"Seven million and it's yours."

"Don't fuck with me sheriff. You're out of my league."

"Seven. Take it, or leave it."

She heard Mercedes laugh. "Oh honey, seriously. So not in my league."

"Your loss."

Nicole's heart continued to pound against her ribcage as she ended the call, adrenalin pumping through her veins, the thrill of the chase, the hunter now being hunted, the dark wolf in her had come out to play.

She had no idea what possessed her to mention the tiny red stone still stuck underneath a display cabinet in Cairo, other than wanting something over Mercedes, she being the one who had threatened Waverly and who Nicole was now one hundred percent convinced was involved in whatever was going on in Luxor. Leaving the bedroom she knew Mercedes was the key, not that she had gone there so Waverly wouldn't hear, she simply wanted to be sure before they proceeded.

Waverly was in her usual spot in front of the computer, going through the profiles of her team members, searching for clues, searching for anything to bring the sticky situation she was in to a close. "It could be anyone," she said, as she typed another string of search words, hoping to find something, some connection to resolve the mystery.

Nicole pulled up a chair. "It's her."

Waverly's attention was now on Nicole. "You called her. You said we'd call together. Why didn't you wait?"

"I needed to be sure. Look, sometimes..."

"What did she say?"

"I made her think we still have the stone."

Waverly's gasp told her she'd crossed a line. "No. No. The men. What they did to Wynonna. Why did you say that? Are you mad?"

"I needed to draw her out. I thought it would-"

"Why?" Waverly interrupted, now out of her chair. "She sent men to kill me. Wyn's in the hospital because of her. They know where I live. Oh God, she has my number. How could you?"

"We can't keep running, or hiding. That's not living, that's survival. And, this bitch thinks she's too clever, or too powerful, or whatever the fuck she thinks she is to be touched. So, we draw her out."

"We haven't drawn her out, we've drawn her here. All you had to do was talk to me."

"I...I thought this was what you wanted."

"It's not. Nicole, it's not. What if she sends her men again? What if we're not as lucky as Wyn?"

"Hey, hey, I'm sorry. Waves, I just need this part of our lives to be over."

"You don't. You need this. You need...you need your cop thing. I'm not like you. I'm not."

Nicole was also out of her chair, staring at Waverly, processing her words. For the first time since they had been back together she no longer wanted to go to her, to comfort her, Waverly's words sinking deeper, her own mind adjusting to what she was inferring. "I'm not the enemy," was all she could offer in response before grabbing her coat, heading out to who knew where.

The café she finally selected was quiet, only her and a young mother at one of the smaller tables, making silly sounds to the delight of her infant. Perched on a high stool, nursing a coffee, she wanted life to stop throwing emotional grenades in her direction, wanted nothing more than for Waverly to be at peace with the situation. Their lives were on hold, in limbo until whatever this was could be sorted out. She knew that. Waverly knew that. She couldn't even focus on the future, not until, not until they sorted out Waverly's future. Even the thought of checking out the museum in Chicago, the one where she hoped to work, was on hold until life calmed down.