Fear lit up Justin’s eyes. “You’re lying.”
“I’m sure they can make it twenty-five. What ya think, Constable Penner?”
Constable Penner stroked his beard. “Easily, I’d say.”
“Possession of drugs, theft…and what’s this?” Clooney gripped Justin’s wrist, whistled softly. “A Piaget watch.”
Rage boiled in my blood.
In a lightning-fast movement, Clooney took the watch off and inspected it. “Lookee here. I see an engraving on the back: To my grandson, Caleb. Mr. Dumont, this is possession of stolen property. This is worth over five grand, eh? That means longer jail time, for sure. Does this look familiar to you, Mr. Lockhart?” He handed the watch to me.
I looked at Justin. “This is my watch. My grandpa gave it to me before he passed away, you motherfucker.”
“I got it from a pawnshop!” Justin backed away, but the holding cell was no bigger than a five-dollar bill. He bumped against the wall behind him. “I didn’t steal it from you!”
“How did you get into my apartment?” I demanded. “You better tell me everything. You know the connections my family has, you bastard. I’ll put you away for life.”
He shook his head, swallowing nervously. “Sh-she gave me the code. Beatrice-Rose. It was her. She paid me to watch your girlfriend.”
“Watch my girlfriend?”
“I have Beatrice-Rose’s text messages. I’ll show you everything. It’s evidence. I have evidence! It’s not my fault!”
“Start talking,” I said quietly. The urge to smash his face was getting stronger every second.
“She wanted me to follow your girlfriend while you were spending the night at her place. I told her I saw your girlfriend buying a present, and she told me to steal it.”
A present. Red had told me she bought me a present. A key chain, Kara had said.
I realized he was talking about the night when Beatrice-Rose visited my flat while Red was there. The awful night that had started everything—when I took Beatrice-Rose home, thinking she was having a panic attack, and left Red alone in my flat.
“But I didn’t steal it. Beatrice-Rose went back for it. She stole it! Said she’d pay me if I scared your girlfriend a little bit.”
“Scare her?” I reached through the bars and grabbed his arm, pulling hard. He let out a howl of pain as I slammed him against the bars. “Touch her again, and I’ll cut both your arms off,” I whispered in his ear, softly enough that only he could hear me.
“He’s threatening me! Did you hear that? He said he’s going to cut my arms off! He said he’s going to cut my arms off! Do something!”
“Didn’t hear nothing, son. Calm down now.” Constable Penner placed a heavy hand on my shoulder. “Let him go.”
“What the fuck did you do to my girl?”
“I’m not telling you anything more! Get him away from me!”
“Son, calm down now,” Constable Penner said to me. “Let him go. Don’t make me arrest you too.”
Before I let Justin go, I slammed him against the bars again.
Constable Penner cleared his throat until Justin looked at him. “I’ll make sure you won’t rot in prison if you tell us everything,” Penner said. “If you don’t, I’ll try my best to keep you there for thirty years. I’m not kidding. I take my job very seriously.”
I didn’t know if he was telling the truth about the prison sentence or if it was just a tactic to make this asshole talk, but I certainly wasn’t going to stop him.
Justin moved to the corner of the cell, as far away from me as possible. “I didn’t do anything. I just pushed her a little, and she fell on the ground. Didn’t hurt her or anything.”
My hands balled into fists. “You fucker.”
Constable Penner nodded. “What happened after that?”
“Beatrice-Rose gave me the code. It’s not that hard to sneak into the building. The guards in the building are dumb fucks.”
“And the drugs in Mr. Lockhart’s car?”
Justin looked down at the floor. “I need some water. I’m thirsty.”
“You can drink your spit until you’ve told us everything we need to know,” Clooney said.
“You fucking owe me,” Justin yelled as he glared hatefully at me. “You had me suspended from that fucking school, booted off the team, took away my friends. I had to do something to get back at you, didn’t I? You spoiled, rich fucker.”
“Did Beatrice-Rose ask you to plant the drugs in Mr. Lockhart’s car?” Clooney asked.
Justin let out a derisive laugh. “Beatrice-Rose wouldn’t hurt a hair on Lockhart’s head if it was up to her. She’s as obsessed with him as his other bitches. It was my idea to plant drugs in this asshole’s car. Damn great idea too. He went to jail, didn’t he? Did you have a good time?” he sneered, then chuckled. “You think you’re so clever, don’t you, rich boy?”
“What about the drugs in Ms. Strafford’s purse at the party last night?” Clooney continued.
Justin started hooting with laughter. “That was her idea. Beatrice-Rose is going to kill your bitch. You know that, right? She’s fucking insane. Last time I talked to her, she said she’d wipe your girlfriend off the planet. Now let me out. I told you everything.”
“You’re going to prison. I’ll make sure of it,” I promised.
Worried and shaken, I wanted to hear Red’s voice to reassure myself that she was okay. I’d stand guard outside Kara’s apartment before I let anyone hurt her. But when I searched for my phone, it wasn’t in my pocket. I ran out to look in my car. No phone. Where the hell was it?
I went back inside the station and asked if I could use their phone, but when I dialed Red’s number, there was no answer.
She was fine. Her phone was just probably on silent because she was having a good time with the girls.
But I couldn’t stop the warning ringing in my head. Heart knocking against my chest, I called information for Kara’s phone number and dialed it.
“What do you mean, where is she?” Kara slurred, her voice rising. “She said you texted her. That you booked an appointment with the real estate agent tonight. She was on her way to meet you. What the hell is going on, Caleb?”
A chill ran up my spine. “Kar, what time did she leave?”
“More than an hour ago. What’s going on?”
“I can’t explain right now. I have to go.”
“Wait! Caleb! What—”
Frantic, I found Clooney and the constable. I gave them the addresses of the three houses Red and I were due to see on Friday and told them to alert the authorities for a possible kidnapping. They might not take action since Red hadn’t been missing for more than twenty-four hours, but I knew my mom had connections. I called her quickly. She didn’t ask questions. She heard the urgency and fear in my voice, and that was enough for her to do what I asked.
I slid into my car and stepped on the gas. I was speeding, but I didn’t care. I needed to get to her.
Hold on, Red. I’m coming.
Halfway to the first address, I stepped on my brakes. Something didn’t feel right. Like I was missing something… The car behind me blasted his horn. How did Beatrice-Rose know about the addresses? My mom could have told her. I should have asked if she had.
But I remembered the disturbing look on Beatrice-Rose’s face when I saw her outside the house I was looking at earlier today.
I might be wrong, but my gut was telling me to go to that house instead. If something happened to Red… I floored the gas, praying to God I wasn’t too late.
Chapter Thirty-five
Veronica
Icy fear flooded my veins as I stared at the gun pointed at my heart.
“Not so feisty now, are you?” Beatrice-Rose sneered.
My eyes flicked up to her face. There was a look of wildness there, of insanity.
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“Caleb. Oh God, where is he? I swear if you hurt him—”
“Hurt him?” Her upper lip curled as if I’d insulted her. “Hurt my Caleb?”
“Where is he?”
“Where is he?” she mimicked, her voice taunting and childlike as she moved closer to me.
I cried out in pain as she slammed the gun into my cheek.
“Hurts, doesn’t it? Uh-uh-uh.” I prepared to strike, but Beatrice-Rose stepped back, shaking her head and pointing the gun at my head again. “Make another move, and I’ll blow your brains out. Red.” Feral amusement lit up her eyes. “Red. Get it?” She laughed, and there was madness in it. “You’ll earn your name once your brains and blood are splattered on the floor. Red. Red. Red!”
“You’re crazy.”
She froze, the amusement leaving her face. “What did you say?” Her voice held a warning to tread very carefully.
“Just let me go. Let me go, and I won’t tell anyone about this.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Do you think I’m stupid? You’re never getting out of here.”
A fresh wave of terror slid up my spine. Beatrice-Rose was going to kill me.
“Where’s Caleb?”
“Don’t say his name! You don’t deserve him. Move!” she ordered, slamming a door open. The banging noise echoed throughout the empty house. “Down those stairs.”
It was pitch-dark, the smell of turpentine and fresh paint hitting my nostrils. She moved behind me, shoving me forward. I grabbed the railing to keep from stumbling, scraping my knuckles against the rough stone walls.
“I said move!”
This was my chance. If she was close enough behind me, I could surprise her, grab her, and push her down the stairs.
But the lights came on suddenly, blinding me. Before I could recover, hands shoved at me mercilessly, and I fell down the stairs with a scream. I was fast enough to shield my head, but I grunted as pain shot up my left leg when I landed hard on it. I realized there were only a few stairs. If there had been more, I would have been hurt far worse.
I could hear her laughing.
In my back pocket, my phone vibrated. I had to find a way to get it without her seeing me. I had to answer it or dial 911, but she was already skipping down the stairs toward me, a triumphant smile on her face.
“Not so pretty now, are you? Maybe I should cut up that face he loves so much before I kill you. Then he wouldn’t love it anymore, would he?”
Anger bubbled in my throat, pushing away the fear. I had been helpless before. I knew how fear could numb your limbs and mind so you were trapped, at the mercy of someone evil.
But not this time.
No, not this time. I wouldn’t go without a fight. I’d kill her before she killed me.
I could feel my pocketknife biting into my back as I carefully sat up. If Beatrice-Rose came closer, I could jump up and stab her.
Still, I looked around for any additional weapon I could use to defend myself. It was obvious the owners were renovating. Some of the furniture was stacked on the other side of the room. There was drywall everywhere, exposed beams, and tables covered in plastic. There should be tools, maybe on those tables, but they were too far away.
“All my life, I’ve never been good enough,” Beatrice-Rose snarled. “But with Caleb, it’s different. He made me feel beautiful, important. I was enough. You should have stayed away. He’s mine. He’s mine, and you stole him from me. But I’ll get him back. He always comes back.”
“Not this time. Not if you kill me.”
“We’ll see about that. Daddy killed Atlas, didn’t he? Daddy killed Atlas, and I forgave him. And Caleb will forgive me just as I forgave Daddy for killing my pet rabbit. You’re Caleb’s Atlas. You’re his rabbit. Do you see?”
She stood there, aiming the gun at my head, scratching her arm absently until it started to bleed. Her eyes were almost pleading for me to understand.
Keep her talking. Keep her distracted.
When she started pacing back and forth, muttering under her breath, I carefully reached for my phone behind me, pressing the emergency button. When I heard the quiet voice of the operator, I sagged in relief and placed the phone on the floor, hiding it behind me. Now they would hear; now they would come.
“Put the gun down, Beatrice-Rose. Please.”
Her eyes seemed cloudy, crazed. “Daddy killed Atlas with a hammer. Did you know that? Because Atlas ruined his shirt. He hurt Daddy’s feelings. You hurt Caleb. You hurt him!”
“I understand,” I said quickly. “I see what you’re trying to say.”
She nodded, smiling at me like a proud teacher whose student answered a difficult question.
“But shh.” She placed her index finger on her lips. “You can’t tell. You can’t tell, okay?”
I nodded.
“I tried really hard to be a good girl. But Caleb can’t see that anymore because you’re in my way! You ruined everything, Red. You ruined Caleb.”
“I’m sorry, Beatrice-Rose.”
Slowly, I pulled the pocketknife from my back pocket, unfolded it.
“I was going to give you a few more days with Caleb before I got rid of you, but that moron Justin got himself arrested. I heard Caleb on the phone. He’s on his way to the station to see that lowlife now. There’s no more time to waste. I have to get rid of you. It was all Justin’s fault, all his plan.”
Relief flooded through me that Caleb was all right.
She stepped closer, swinging the gun beside her like a toy. My palms were damp with sweat as I gripped the pocketknife.
“Was it his idea to plant drugs in my purse? The drugs in Caleb’s car?”
She paused. “I would never do anything to hurt Caleb! That was all Justin’s doing! I nearly killed that moron for doing that to my Caleb. And if he hadn’t run away, I would have. The drugs in your purse?” She laughed. “That was all me. Not very original, I’ll admit, but I wanted Miranda to see! To think that they were your drugs in Caleb’s car. Then she’d hate you.”
So I was right.
“That cheap key chain you bought for him? I burned it.” She snickered. “It’s gone. You know how I got into Caleb’s apartment, right? He gave me his code. He loves me so much that he gave me the code to his apartment. He trusts me. You, however, couldn’t be trusted. You’re a fake, a liar.”
Her eyes narrowed in anger. “But how the fuck do you get away with everything? Miranda’s even on your side now! How dare she accuse me of lying to her about you? You’re really good at hiding your true self. You fooled her. You fooled Caleb.”
“You’re right. Let me go. Just let me go. I’ll talk to Caleb.”
“Liar,” she spat out. “You think I’d believe you? You think I’m stupid?”
“Of course not. You were the one behind the fire at the shop, right? You paid them. You paid those boys.”
“Of course. Idiots. What a waste of space. Couldn’t even kill you. Couldn’t even stop you from coming to his party.”
“You nearly killed Kar and her family!”
“I should have told them to burn that slut’s house too. I’m going to kill your friend Kara after I kill you.”
“No!”
With rage in my veins, I leaped up, leaning heavily on my uninjured leg, and slashed at her hand. I lost my balance and fell on the floor with a thud.
She screamed. The gun clattered on the floor and slid under the couch.
“You fucking bitch!” she shrieked, blood dripping from the deep cut.
The gun! I have to get the gun!
Heart racing madly, I crawled on the floor, but the shooting pain in my leg made me cry out in pain. She grinned at me, confident now that I was injured, and went for the gun.
Gritting my teeth, I rose and, with a desperate cry, hobbled and threw myself at her, stabbing her in the
back with my knife. I felt the sickening slide of the metal as it buried in her flesh.
She bellowed in pain, spun around, and punched me in the jaw. I staggered back, dazed. My injured foot gave out, and I fell on the floor, hitting the back of my head. Nausea rose in my throat.
“I’m going to kill everyone you love, you fucking bitch!” she screamed.
Swallowing the bile, I got up. The world spun. I blinked away the blurriness and saw Beatrice-Rose crouched on the floor by the couch, the knife obscenely sticking out of her back Her right arm rested on the cushion of the couch to support her, her left hand groping blindly underneath for the gun.
With rage and adrenaline fueling me, I rushed at her, pulling the knife from her back. She shrieked in pain. Without hesitation, I stabbed her hand. I felt the tip of the knife as it wedged itself in the couch. She was trapped.
She howled like an animal, flailing around. When she dragged her free hand from under the couch, I saw the glint of metal. She turned her head and glowered at me with hate in her eyes—just as I grabbed her hand holding the gun.
The deafening sound of a gunshot rang in my ears.
* * *
Caleb
Slamming on the brakes, I jumped out of my car and ran toward the house where Beatrice-Rose had seen me earlier. And then I heard the gunshot.
The pungent taste of mind-numbing fear was ripe in my mouth, shooting through my limbs like ice as I ran to the front door and kicked it open. I shouted for Red, sprinting through empty rooms.
She had to be okay. She had to.
“Red!” I yelled.
From the basement, someone screamed. I raced through the basement door and down the stairs. When I reached the bottom, I froze at the sight in front of me.
Jesus. Jesus. Blood soaked Red’s hand where she held her arm protectively against her chest. Beatrice-Rose’s face was ravaged with loathing as she held the gun to Red’s head. Her other hand was stretched behind her, a knife pinning it to the couch.
“I’m going to kill you. Then I’m going to kill everyone you love. Every one of them, you fucking bitch!” Beatrice-Rose shouted at Red.
“Beatrice-Rose,” I whispered softly. “Put the gun down.”
Always Red Page 27
