Ghost Peppers Chapter 23

Chapter 23

The unmarked car screeched to a halt just shy of the curb. Penny and Tony jumped out, their weapons drawn, scanning the quiet street. The Amazon truck was parked further down, its rear doors shut. The sight of it sent a wave of unease through Penny’s chest.

"That’s him," she said, her voice tight. "Let’s move."

Tony nodded, and they approached the Douglas home with measured urgency. The front door was slightly ajar, a chilling sign that something was already in motion.

Tony gestured for Penny to take position. “Stay sharp. We don’t know what we’re walking into.”

Penny pushed the door open slowly, her Glock raised. The house was eerily silent, save for the faint hum of an air conditioning unit. The entryway was pristine, with framed family photos lining the walls—images of a life that might soon be shattered.

They moved in tandem through the house, clearing each room methodically. As they neared the master bedroom, Penny’s pulse thundered in her ears. From behind the door, she could hear faint, labored breathing.

Tony met her gaze, mouthing silently, Ready?

Penny nodded. Tony counted down with his fingers: three… two… one.

They burst through the door, guns drawn.

The scene froze them for a split second. Frank McCormick stood at the side of the bed, his tall, wiry frame tense with adrenaline. Amanda Douglas kneeling on the mattress, trembling, a bright yellow bra strap slipping from her shoulder. Her ankles were bound with zip ties, her tear-streaked face pale with terror.

Frank’s hand gripped a pistol, its barrel pressed to Amanda’s temple. His face was a storm of rage and panic, beads of sweat trickling down his temple.

“DROP THE WEAPON, FRANK!” Tony bellowed, stepping into the room with his weapon trained on the suspect.

Frank flinched, his grip tightening even harder on the gun. “Stay back! I’ll do it! I swear I will!”

Penny stepped forward cautiously, her hands steady despite the storm raging in her chest.

“Frank, listen to me,” she said, her voice calm but firm. “You don’t want to do this. Let her go.”

Frank’s dark eyes darted between them, wild and untrusting. “You don’t know what you’re talking about! You don’t know what they’ve done to me! To her!”

“You’re right, Frank,” Penny said, her tone softening. “But I do know that this isn’t you. You don’t have to do this.”

“You don’t understand!” he spat, his voice cracking. “She made me do it. All of it! I didn’t have a choice!”

Tony’s voice cut through the tension like a blade. “Then let’s talk about it, Frank. Put the gun down, and we’ll make sure the truth comes out.”

Frank shook his head violently, his face twisting in anguish. “No! She said I had to finish it! She said if I didn’t, they’d find me! They’d kill me!”

“She manipulated you,” Penny said, her voice gentle but unyielding. “We know, Frank. We’ve seen the emails. We know Julia Stein used you like a pawn. But this?” She gestured slightly toward Amanda, who whimpered softly. “This doesn’t have to be your legacy.”

Frank’s eyes flickered with confusion, the weight of her words starting to pierce through his frenzy.

“You’re not her puppet anymore,” Penny continued, her voice steady. “You’re better than this.

You have the power to stop this right now, Frank. Let Amanda go. Put the gun down.”

Frank’s hand trembled, the gun wavering slightly from its target. “She ruined my life,” he whispered hoarsely. “She ruined everything.”

“And this won’t fix it,” Penny said, her eyes locking onto his. “But walking away from this?

That’s the first step toward taking your life back. Don’t let Julia win, Frank. She’s already done enough damage.”

For a long, agonizing moment, the room was silent except for Amanda’s quiet sobs. Frank’s chest heaved as he battled with himself, his knuckles white against the gun’s grip.

Finally, with a shuddering exhale, Frank lowered the weapon. His shoulders slumped, and his knees buckled as the weight of his actions bore down on him.

Tony stepped forward cautiously, keeping his gun trained on Frank. “Good call, Frank. Just stay still.”

Penny holstered her weapon and quickly moved to Amanda, cutting the zip ties with her pocket knife. “You’re safe now,” she whispered, guiding the trembling woman off the bed.

As Tony cuffed Frank, the man stared blankly at the floor, his voice a hollow echo. “She said it would all make sense. That this would make it better.”

Penny straightened, her expression hardening. “She lied, Frank. But now, we’ll make sure she pays for it.”

As they led him out of the house, the weight of the case bore down on them. Penny’s jaw tightened. This wasn’t over yet. Julia Stein had started this nightmare—and Penny was determined to finish it.

As they put Frank in their vehicle, squad cars and ambulances arrived. Tony briefed them just prior to taking Frank to the station.