“What are you doing here, Juliette?” Nick repeated his question.
“I… um…” I stuttered. “Gwendolyn called me and said Leo was unconscious.” I took a deep breath. “Is Leo here?”
Gwendolyn yelped as Nick pushed the gun into the side of her neck. “Planning on telling her too were you?” When she didn’t answer immediately, he pressed the gun harder against her neck.
She tried to tilt her head away from the gun as she pointed to me. “My bastard of a son thought he could get away with giving me a paltry sum, while he keeps the crown jewel. I needed her here as leverage.” Despite being held at gunpoint, her eyes darkened with excitement. “I’d give him the closure he so desperately wants in exchange for the house. I knew the only way he’d agree was if his precious Juliette was in the equation.”
I was incredulous. “You are insane.”
“I prefer opportunistic.”
“Stupid bitch,” Nick spat, pushing her away from him. She stumbled towards me and turned so we were standing next to each other. “Leo would’ve skinned you alive if you’d hurt her.”
“Are you going to let me go?” I croaked, trying to swallow the laughter I knew was inappropriate and wildly dangerous, but difficult to stifle.
“What? So you can run straight to the police? I don’t think so.” He held out his hand. “Give me your phone.”
I reached into my pocket and reluctantly took a few steps forward, handing him my phone. He dropped it to the hard travertine and crushed it with the heel of his boot.
“I won’t go to the police,” I promised, knowing full well he wouldn’t take my word for it. It was then I felt a cold dread work its way up my spine. I looked towards the back door as a possible escape route. I’d never actually seen a gun in real life before, and my knowledge of disarming an attacker was purely theoretical. The reality was not the exciting adrenaline rush I had imagined. It was paralysing and terrifying. Breathe, Juliette. Breathe, god damnit.
Nick smirked. “Don’t bother with any of your fancy moves. I’ll shoot you without a second thought.”
“I don’t understand what’s going on here,” I whimpered, trying not to lose the plot completely.
“Shut up, Juliette,” Nick scolded. “This is between Gwendolyn and me. She shouldn’t have brought you into it, and I made sure Leo is having a nice, long sleep far from here.” He sounded so cool and calm. “I actually give a shit about the kid, you know?”
I was so relieved to hear Leo was safe, my knees almost gave way and I reached for the bench to steady myself.
“Ask him what he did for me,” Gwendolyn piped up. “Ask him what he did for me in this very spot.”
“Shut up, Gwendolyn,” Nick spat, cocking the gun.
“You’re going to kill us both, so you might as well confess your sins.” She laughed manically like a hyena on crack, then stopped abruptly when she locked eyes with Nick, who had raised the gun higher so it was now level with her head.
Holy shit! Holy shit! Holy. Shit. I was sweating. I was freezing. I was outraged. I was terrified. I felt everything and nothing.
“My sins?” Nick asked incredulously. “I killed him for you. I killed him for us.”
I just stared at Nick, and I was pretty sure I had stopped breathing. His revelation was not only completely shocking; it also sealed my fate. He had just confessed to murder in front of me and he had a loaded gun.
“I never directly asked you to kill him, Nick,” Gwendolyn snickered. “And I certainly never told you there was any chance we would be together if you did.”
Nick had moved right in front of her now, and I could see the skin on the back of his neck turning red. “I left my wife for you.” His hand covered his forehead. “All these years I’ve carried the burden of what I did and you were about to throw me to the wolves.”
I held my breath watching the train wreck unfold.
“You were merely a pawn.” She was clearly resigned to her fate and was determined to drive the knife in. “You were never part of the end game.”
Nick’s eyes flashed with rage as her words sunk in.
She glanced at me. “I wish Leo had died that day too.”
“He’s your son.” I was horrified and the tears I’d been trying to desperately to control, slipped down my cheeks at the thought of my life without Leo. I would never have known he existed and neither of us would’ve ever known a love like ours. Was it going to end here? Was I going to die in this farmhouse like Leo’s father?
“My husband and son, the freaking superheroes,” she continued. Her whole body shuddered as if the very thought of them was unpleasant.
I struggled to find a word to adequately describe their heinous pre-meditation. Clenching my fists, I could feel my blood pressure rising.
“I left my wife to be with you.” I snapped my head to Nick, who was about to blow a gasket. “You let me kill for you, and I think it’s fitting you meet the same fate right here.”
While they were locked in a standoff, I knew I had to use the opportunity. I was as good as dead anyway with these two maniacs. I glanced around wondering if I could bolt for it. I had no idea how good Nick’s aim was, but it was better to assume he was a crack shot than take my chances. Then I remembered Leo telling me about the wine cellar where William spent a lot of time. The door was right next to the kitchen, so only a few feet away from where I was standing. Leo had said he’d locked himself down there playing hide and seek, so I just had to make it through the door before he could take his shot. My veins were loaded with the biggest shot of adrenaline they’d ever experienced. You can do this, Juliette, I told myself.
Just as I was about to make a dash for it, Gwendolyn spoke. “You won’t kill me,” she spat. “You’ve been in love with me for years.”
I clamped my hands over my ears when a loud shot rang out. My eyes bugged out of my head and I stumbled backwards. Gwendolyn dropped to her knees then slumped forward onto the pale travertine floor. I stared at the middle of her back and watched blood ooze through her shirt.
“Oh my God.” Nick stared at her lifeless body. The gun slipped out of his hand and made a horrible thud when it hit the floor.
Knowing I had seconds to escape, I didn’t hesitate. I bolted for the basement door, ripped it open, threw myself through and slammed it shut. I was beyond relieved to see an impressive-looking deadbolt. It was a little rusty, and I had to put all my strength behind it to slide it across. I let out the breath I was holding, but didn’t stick around to enjoy my relief.
I turned around and was faced with steep stone steps leading down into darkness. I really didn’t want to go down there, but I had no choice. I had a lunatic with a gun on the other side of the door and no phone to call for help. I was up the proverbial creek without a paddle. When I heard Nick calling my name and saw the door shake, I took off.
As I descended the stone steps, I shivered when I felt the temperature drop. I reached the bottom of the stairs and it was almost pitch black, so I had to go by feel to find a light switch. Instead, I found a fine rope hanging from the ceiling. A metal bauble hung to the bottom and banged me in the forehead. When I pulled on it, one lonely bulb illuminated, casting a soft glow on my surrounds. It was a far larger area than I had expected, and I felt vaguely relieved that I wasn’t trapped in a tiny space. I wasn’t necessarily claustrophobic, but I’d defy anyone to not feel nervous down there, particularly under those circumstances.
Wine racks lined both walls. I shuffled past them, not having a clue whether I was headed for safety or my grave. I couldn’t hear anything from the house above, but I’d take my chances down here rather than face a certain death. I had no idea how long I would wait it out. Would he wait for me to come back out or would he flee the scene of his crimes? For the time being, at least, I felt far safer down in the cool, protected basement where William Ashlar, a man I’d never know, had spent much of his time.
I snapped my head towards the steps when I heard a strange crackling sound
coming from above. I jogged back up the stairs and was horrified when the smell of smoke filled my nostrils. Oh shit! Was Nick trying to flush me out or was he going to burn the whole house down and simply disappear? He now had another body on his hands, and this time, I was a witness. Smoke was puffing through the cracks around the door. I knew I couldn’t open that door, so my only option was to head back to the basement.
I jogged quickly back down the stairs and past the wine racks. The sandstone wall I’d been edging along came to an end, and I stepped cautiously around a corner, grazing my shoulder on the rough surface. I felt around for another piece of rope but couldn’t find anything. I was cold, I was terrified and I was alone. I leaned against the rough wall and sunk to the ground, torn between trying to escape and staying where I was where I felt I was relatively safe surrounded by stone. I decided on the latter.
The little butterflies that had been fluttering around in my belly erupted in a nausea-inducing swarm. Is Leo okay? Is Nick out there waiting for me? I was pretty sure shock was about to hit me full force so I rested my elbows on my bent legs, placed my face in my hands and made a wish. Please let Leo be okay.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Leo
I scanned the back seat and foot well for anything sharp that I might be able to use to cut the zip ties, but there was nothing. Then I realised my brain was still not functioning properly. What exactly was I going to do with it? My hands were tied behind my back. The light was fading and I needed to take a piss badly.
Strength and brains had always been my greatest assets. Think!
The zip ties were plastic. They might be super strong, tight and holding me in an awkward position, but I needed to break them. I was lying flat on my stomach with my legs bent to accommodate my size in the back seat. Taking a deep breath in, I raised my arms as far above my back as I could manage. I closed my eyes and repeated a Buddhist quote that had resonated with me in Thailand.
Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.
With everything blocked out, I focused all my energy into my raised arms then slammed them down on my backside in one killer blow. The distinctive snapping sound was music to my ears as my arms flew apart and fell to my sides. The relief was extreme when I sat up, groaning with pleasure as I worked the strained muscles of my arms and shoulders. After I’d ripped the duct tape from my mouth, I looked around again for something sharp to cut the ties around my ankles.
It suddenly occurred to me that my tool kit was in the boot. I turned onto my knees and leant over the backseat and rummaged under the canvases to find my stonemason tools. I knew exactly what I needed and found it quickly amongst the trowels, pointers, chisels and hammers. The cock’s comb, with its serrated blades, was used on limestone, and I knew it would make light work of the zip tie around my ankles.
The second I was freed from the tie, I flung myself over to the driver’s seat and opened the door, almost falling out onto the bitumen. I relieved my bladder on the lonely, half-dead tree in front of the car and once again groaned with pleasure. Back in the car, I was surprised to see my bag was in the passenger seat foot well. Grabbing it, I ripped the zip open and searched desperately for my phone. I quickly discovered I’d been left with no wallet, no keys and no phone. If they’d only been interested in the cash, they wouldn’t have bothered tying me up.
I had no choice but to leave the Jeep and find another way to get back to the city and to Juliette. I might’ve been considered a thug by some, but I did not know how to hotwire a car. I still felt wobbly, but I broke into a jog as I made my way through the industrial estate and out onto the road. I stuck my thumb out and didn’t have to wait long before a car stopped for me.
“Where you headed, son?” the driver of the brown sedan asked when I climbed in. He got a better look at me when I turned to face him. “Dear Lord. What happened to you?”
“I’m headed for St Kilda. If you can get me closer to the city, I’d appreciate it.” I ignored his question about what had happened to me.
“This must be your lucky day,” he said. “I’m heading home to Brighton. I’ll drop you off.”
I’d woken up in the back of my car, tied up and drugged. I was one hundred percent certain it was not my lucky day, but it sure was a break that this guy had stopped for me.
“Appreciated. Any chance I could borrow your phone?”
“Sorry, son.” He shrugged. “Those things will fry your brains.”
Shit.
“You sure you don’t want me to take you to the hospital?” he asked when we’d been driving for around fifteen minutes.
I must’ve really looked like shit. “No. I’m good, thanks.” I shot him a friendly smile then returned my gaze to the road ahead.
Thankfully, he nodded then cranked up the radio and proceeded to sing along enthusiastically to Garth Brook’s The Gambler.
When he dropped me home, I thanked him profusely before dashing down the side of my apartment building. Despite it being a terrible security risk, the window around the back didn’t lock, so I could slide it up with a bit of brute force. Climbing through the window, I winced. The past twenty-four hours had taken a terrible toll on my body, but I couldn’t dwell on that. I grabbed the keys to the Ducati and my helmet and headed into the hallway to knock on my neighbour’s door.
“Hey, Leo,” Susie from 1C purred, propping herself up against the door jamb. Clearly her boyfriend wasn’t around.
“Susie.” I tried not to sound impatient. “Can I borrow your phone, please?”
“You sure can, honey.” She swished back into her apartment, glancing over her shoulder and batting her eyelashes.
Fuck. Just hurry up! I thought to myself, throwing her a reluctant smile.
She returned with her diamante-covered pink iPhone and handed it to me. Thanking her, I pulled up Google and ran a quick search for Juliette’s apartment building. Joel rang through to her apartment but there was no answer. He said he hadn’t seen her all day. Next, I called her gym. The only thing I knew she was doing today was training with Zac.
When the guy at reception tracked him down, he told me they’d had coffee together this morning and she’d left to go to her parents’ house for lunch. Knowing lawyers’ home numbers were never listed, I handed the phone back to Susie, thanked her then bolted out the door.
The Ducati roared to life and I fishtailed on the loose gravel near the side of the road and took off for Toorak.
Screeching to a halt outside the plush townhouse, I threw my leg over and dashed up the path. I simultaneously rang the doorbell and banged on the door.
Isabel opened the door and looked a little shocked to see me. “I thought you had a concussion?”
“I’m looking for Juliette,” I stated, looking past her into the house.
“She’s not here anymore.” She took a step closer to me. “She flew out of here in a mad panic hours ago.”
“What are you talking about?” I asked, shouting now. I’d managed to stay relatively calm, but now I knew something was really up.
“Juliette got a call from your mother telling her you had a concussion and had passed out. She wanted her to go to the farmhouse. John gave her the keys to the Porsche.”
“Oh, shit!” I exclaimed. “I need a phone.” I was willing to get down on my knees and beg at that point. “Can you lend me a phone?”
“What’s going on?” Juliette’s dad appeared in the doorway.
“Give him your phone,” Isabel demanded.
I scrolled through his contacts and called Juliette. No answer. Fuck!
Panicking, I called the Lilydale Police Station. Detective Joe Peters was the lead investigator on my father’s case and had always kept me up to date. He was almost as gutted as I was that the killer had never been apprehended.
“Leo. Thank God. I’ve been trying to get hold of you.” That was not what I wanted to hear, and a cold dread was threatening to swallow me whole.
&
nbsp; “What’s going on, Joe?” I asked.
“The fire department were called to your farmhouse and are still there trying to get it under control.”
“What the hell? Is anyone in there?”
“I don’t have those details yet,” he replied. “Can you get out here?”
“Please, Joe. Gwendolyn is behind this. My girlfriend was heading out to the house and I can’t get hold of her.”
“I have men at the house diverting traffic, but I was just on my way there.”
“Thanks, Joe. I’ll meet you there.”
“I’ll let my men know to let you through.”
I hung up. “Can I keep this phone?” I asked with full intention of taking it regardless.
“Of course,” John replied. “What’s going on, Leo?”
“I don’t know,” I said, already heading down the path. “But I’ll let you know when I do.”
Chapter Thirty-Five
Leo
The Ducati’s engine was pushed to the limits of its capacity as I flew towards God only knew what. Ducking and weaving through the traffic then flooring it along the open road would’ve been enjoyable in different circumstances. As it was, I couldn’t seem to go fast enough and I cursed every single kilometre.
The police had set up a detour at the last turnoff before my house, but they waved me through. I just had to pray Juliette was okay and not in the burning house. The worst was too horrible to contemplate.
The closer I got, the more intense the smell of smoke became. When the house came into view, I skidded to a halt. The farmhouse, my childhood home, engulfed in flames was something out of nightmares, but the fear that struck my entire body like a tornado was like nothing I’d ever experienced before. Please don’t let Juliette be in there. I begged, prayed, chanted and pleaded to any god who’d listen.
Impact (The Fight for Life #2) Page 21
