Behind the Secrets (Behind the Lives #4)

by Marita A. Hansen

  Saul ran a hand over his head. “I know, and I regret what I did.”

  “I bet you do. You’re wincing at everything, not to mention sweating like a bastard. You’ve only just gotten back to work; you can’t go out drinking all night and fucking kids.”

  “Josie isn’t a kid, she’s twenty-one.”

  “While you’re thirty-eight, you dirty old man.”

  Saul glared at her. “How about you keep your nose out of my private life?”

  “No. I’m concerned about you, Saul. That’s why I’m commenting on it, and you were the one who asked me to drive you home. That wasn’t part of my job; I did it because you’re my friend, so don’t get all high and mighty with me, I won’t stand for it.”

  Saul exhaled. “Just give me a break this time; I’ve got one hell of a headache.”

  “And we know who’s to blame for that.”

  “Sarah—”

  “I know, give poor hungover you a break. Well, I guess I have to, since you need to go deal with that Kara woman.”

  Saul walked around his desk. “Is Dante Rata all right?”

  “Yeah, it was only a concussion. Kara claims it was an accident, while the other woman said it was an assault.”

  “What other woman?” Saul asked, hoping it wasn’t Beth.

  “The one involved in the Torres case—Beth Connor.”

  Saul swore in his head. “Is she here?”

  “No, Kara’s claiming Beth’s framed her. As if. I’ve met Beth and she was nice—unlike that screaming banshee.” Sarah placed a finger in her ear and wiggled it about. “Man, she’s got a pair of powerful lungs on her. My ears are still ringing from going near that bitch.”

  “You still need to get someone to question Dante before you take anything further with Kara.”

  A cheeky smile played across her lips. “Yeah, no problem, I’ll do it. I wouldn’t mind meeting him.”

  “Don’t get any ideas, that guy’s a manwhore.”

  “I said meeting, not fucking, after all, my name’s not Saul.”

  He grimaced at her. “You’re going to make me pay for a while, aren’t you?”

  “I most certainly am.” Smiling, she swept a hand towards the door. “Go see Kara, so she shuts up. She says she won’t stop yelling until she speaks to you.”

  “Okay, I’ll deal with her.”

  He headed out of his office, ignoring the other cops walking down the passage. Sarah ran past him, stopping in front of a cell. On the other side of the door, a woman was yelling at the top of her lungs, “I want Saul, get me Saul!”

  “He’s here!” Sarah barked back. “So shut the hell up!” She unlocked the door and pulled it open.

  Saul stepped into the cell. Kara was standing in the centre of the room, wearing stilettos and a curve-hugging dress any hooker would be proud to own. Her long blonde hair was a tangled mess, while her eyes were bloodshot, giving the impression she’d been crying.

  “Finally!” Kara tottered over to him, her expression angry. “What took you so long? I asked for you ages ago.”

  “Firstly, I only just heard about you being here, and secondly, I’m not a lawyer who you can order about. I’m a cop, who doesn’t do favours for career criminals.”

  “I’m not a criminal!”

  “Then explain why you’re here.”

  “Beth Connor. She lied about me attacking Dante to get me out of the way.”

  “Then how did he get hurt?”

  She grimaced, her pale blue eyes pained. “I accidentally pushed him too hard. You can’t arrest me for a simple push, it wasn’t a strike.”

  “Why were you pushing him?”

  “Because he went back on his word. He promised he would stay with me, then that bitch Beth gets pregnant and bam, he dumps me like I mean nothing to him.”

  Saul’s brows shot up. “Beth’s pregnant?”

  “Yes, because Dante’s too stupid to use condoms. When he gets horny, what little brain he has evaporates completely.” Kara placed a hand on Saul’s arm, giving him one of her sexy smiles. “So, can you get me out?”

  Saul removed her hand from his arm. “Don’t think you can flirt your way out of this.” He went to leave. She grabbed his arm, making him turn back. Not saying a word, he looked down at her hand.

  She whipped it back, her expression now concerned. “You can’t leave me here. I need to see Dante.”

  “You should stay clear of him.”

  “That’s not your decision to make.”

  “It is if you want me to get you out.”

  “But I need to be with him, not that lying, stuck-up, conniving witch, who he doesn’t even want.”

  “Look, Kara, if he dumped you you’re the one he doesn’t want, so deal with it.”

  “You’re wrong. If he truly wanted Beth, he wouldn’t have taken a knife to himself after finding out she was pregnant.”

  Saul’s eyebrows shot up. “He did what?”

  “After he chose to be with me, she shows up. The next day I find out he’s hurt himself and is in a psyche ward. And she thinks I’m dangerous to him? She’s the dangerous one. She drove him to lose it. I was willing to play nice with her, but not after she lied to the cops about me assaulting him.”

  “Mr. Rata’s flatmate confirmed Miss Connor’s account,” Sarah said from the doorway.

  Kara’s eyes shot to her. “Jade wasn’t even there when it happened! He’s also the one who encouraged her to lie so they could get rid of me. He’s been constantly calling the cops on me, saying I’ve been harassing him and Dante. He’s a liar like Beth, but unlike her, he doesn’t have a chance with Dante.”

  Saul cut in, “Is he still after Dante?”

  She nodded. “The delusional idiot thinks he’s Dante’s boyfriend. He also touches him without permission. Dante tells him to stop, but he never listens. I want Dante out of that house and away from that pervert and Beth.”

  “If Dante wants to stay there—”

  “He’s only there because Jade’s holding a music contract over his head.”

  “I’m sure Dante’s big enough to take care of Jade. I can’t see him allowing Jade to push him around.”

  Kara grimaced. “That’s because you don’t understand the way Dante thinks. He’s so used to people using and abusing him that he doesn’t see what Jade’s doing is wrong, and when something happens that does upset him, he just blanks it out, like it’s never happened. So, can you get me out? Because you know those charges are lies.”

  “I know nothing, Kara, because you are capable of hurting people. You forget that I do know you well.”

  “Which means you should also know I wouldn’t hurt Dante. I love him unconditionally.”

  He exhaled, believing her in regards to that. He’d seen her place a gun to her head and pull the trigger in a Russian roulette game so that Dante didn’t have to, her love undeniable.

  “So...” she paused, “can you get me out?”

  “I’ll do my best.”

  She smiled. “Thank you, Saul, I knew you’d come through for me. I could tell you were different from the rest of Craven’s crew when you were undercover. It made sense when I found out you were a cop. You’re a good man.”

  Saul refrained from grimacing, knowing he was far from good. “I have to go; I’ll leave you with my colleague.”

  Kara’s eyes went to Sarah. “Can you get another cop for me? That Amazonian has been nothing but a bitch to me.”

  Sarah pushed away from the door and stalked over to Kara, her expression angry. “I brought you Saul yet you insult me?”

  Kara spat something back in Croatian.

  “Whatever you said,” Sarah snapped, “you’re times two.”

  Kara smirked. “No, I don’t like licking pussy; it was only part of my job description.”

  Sarah’s eyes went wide. “I’m not a lesbian!”

  “Then put on some makeup, you look like you’ve just come back from muff diving.”

  Saul turned to Sarah q
uickly, blocking her from Kara. “Get Liam, he can deal with her,” he said, knowing Sarah was about to lose her temper.

  Sarah glared at Kara for a few seconds, then spun around and stalked out, muttering she loved men.

  Saul turned back to Kara. “You really do bite the hand that feeds you.”

  “She was rude to me earlier.”

  “She got me here so I could help you.”

  “Only because I wouldn’t shut up, otherwise that Amazonian bitch wouldn’t have done a thing.”

  “Watch what you say, she’s my friend.”

  “Don’t get all touchy, I’m the one in jail, not her, plus you owe me for allowing Big Mack to beat me up.” She sneered at him. “Did you enjoy seeing me getting beaten to a pulp?”

  Saul grimaced. “I couldn’t do a thing, I was undercover. If I’d stopped him, I would’ve blown it.”

  “You blew your cover for Beth. Is that why you’re giving me trouble?”

  “I’m not giving you trouble, I said I would help you, but you’re making me seriously reconsider my decision.”

  She held out her hands. “I’m sorry; I speak before I think sometimes. I’m also sorry for upsetting your friend. I just need another officer so I can lay charges against Beth and Jade for placing false allegations against me.”

  “I wouldn’t recommend doing that, it won’t go anywhere.”

  “Why not? They tried to frame me for something I didn’t do.”

  “I’m sure Dante won’t take too kindly to you trying to put away the mother of his baby.”

  She grimaced. “I’m better suited to Dante than that pretentious bitch. He’s crazy like me, whereas she’s too precious for her own good.” She smiled. “Hey, you’re gorgeous. How about you seduce her, so she can leave me and Dante the hell alone? It’ll work out for all of us, considering you’re hot for the bitch.”

  He grimaced. “I don’t appreciate your suggestion.” He turned to leave.

  “Why are you getting precious?” Kara said. “It’s obvious you have a hard-on for her.”

  Saul slammed the door shut and stalked back to Kara, who quickly backed up. He pointed a finger at her face. “You saw nothing. You heard nothing.”

  She held out her hands once again, her expression surprised. “Okay, okay, whatever you say.”

  “Good, and you better keep it that way, because, Kara, I can get you deported if you make any trouble for me.”

  She shook her head vigorously. “You can’t do that; I’m a New Zealand citizen now.”

  “Your citizenship was illegal, bought by Craven. I have all the details, so keep your mouth shut or you’ll be sent back to Bosnia.”

  “I promise I won’t say a word, I’m not stupid, I know you’re my friend—”

  “Get it into your thick head I’m not your friend, which means the next time you get thrown into jail, don’t ask for me. This is the last time I want to see you until the trial.” He looked down at her dress, grimacing at the blood staining the bottom of it. “You’re bleeding.”

  She dropped her gaze, her expression surprised.

  Not caring, Saul spun around and stalked out, spotting Sarah’s partner walking towards the cell. “Get the prisoner a sanitary pad.”

  Liam turned and headed for the storeroom, disappearing inside it. Saul continued down the corridor, what Kara had said bothering him. If she’d noticed how he’d looked at Beth, then maybe others had too, and if Beth laid a complaint against him ... no, she wouldn’t, or she would’ve done it already. He ran a hand over his head, wishing he’d never met her, the woman a bad experience he just wanted to forget.

  A hand touched his back as he entered the foyer. He turned to find Sarah staring at him with a worried expression. “Are you all right?” she asked.

  He glanced around the station, hoping no one else was paying attention to him. They weren’t, the other officers too busy with work. He refocused on Sarah. “I’m fine. Once Liam’s taken Kara’s statement, make sure she gets released.”

  Sarah’s eyebrows rose. “Why are you helping that bitch?”

  He leaned forward, whispering into Sarah’s ear. “She has something on me. It’s to do with my undercover case.”

  “Will you tell me what it is?”

  He pulled back. “What I did undercover, stays undercover.”

  She nodded, her own experience allowing her to empathise.

  “Tell Joseph I’m taking the rest of the day off,” he added.

  “Yeah, sleep it off, you’ll feel better tomorrow.”

  “It’s got nothing to do with my hangover, I want to visit Mariella,” he said, mentioning his wife.

  Her face turned sad. “Don’t, Saul, you always get upset after you do that.”

  “I’m already upset.” He turned and walked out of the police station, wishing he wasn’t a cop for the first time in his life.

  16

  Beth

  Beth drove down her parents’ road, feeling exhausted and sick from the pregnancy, not to mention she’d hardly slept due to Dante’s accident. But her father had insisted she come over. She’d gotten a short phone message from him, saying that her mother had told him about her pregnancy, and that she needed to meet him at the family home for dinner—no excuses.

  She went to pull into the driveway, slamming a foot on the brake as a car sped past her, almost taking her out. Remembering it from the other day, she whipped her head around, trying to catch the license plate, but the car was already gone.

  Shaking her head, she turned into the driveway and parked behind her father’s remodelled bronze and black Mark V Cortina. She got out and walked slowly to the front door, for the first time not looking forward to seeing her father. Nervous as hell, she knocked on the door, not sure if she should let herself in after the argument with her mother. Corey yelled out for someone to get the door. A few seconds later, it flung open, her father appearing in front of her, dressed in a black singlet and oil-stained jeans. He looked like her oldest brother—short and pudgy, but with even more of a potbelly, her father liking her mother’s cooking far too much. He also had reddish-brown hair and was fair-skinned, his looks coming from his Irish father.

  His eyes went to her stomach, then moved back up to her face, his expression tense. He stepped aside. “Come in,” he said, his accent Maori. Although he was Irish, he’d grown up in a Maori household from a young age. His Maori stepmother had raised him after his father had run off with another woman. Beth had only met her grandfather once. He’d turned up at her auntie’s wedding, drunk and with a woman not much older than her. It hadn’t ended well, her father getting into a vicious brawl with him.

  Beth entered the house, fear gripping her chest, her father’s disapproval hard to ignore. Her eyes went to the couch, where Sledge and Corey were playing an Xbox game. They stopped and looked up at her.

  Corey sneered at her. “What are you doin’ ’ere? Mum told ja to go away.”

  Their father stepped around Beth, his eyes locking onto Corey. “Why would she say that, Corey?”

  Corey shrank into the couch, probably realising he shouldn’t have brought it up, especially since Sledge wouldn’t be sitting next to him if her father knew he was Corey’s boyfriend. “Nuthin’,” Corey mumbled, not looking at him.

  “Don’t lie to me, Corey,” their father said. “Why would your mother say Beth isn’t welcome ’ere?”

  “They had an argument.”

  “Over her pregnancy?”

  Corey’s worried gaze moved to Beth. He nodded, his eyes pleading with her not to say a word. Beth grimaced back, knowing her father would forget about her pregnancy in a second if he knew what Corey and Sledge had been up to. But she kept her mouth shut, not wanting to stoop that low.

  Her father continued, “It’s not exactly nice to hear that your own daughter has gotten pregnant out of wedlock to the local lothario.”

  “What’s lothario mean?” Sledge asked.

  “A ladies’ man.”

  Sledge sm
iled. “Yeah, my bro’s a ladies’ man.” He turned back to his game and continued playing. A second later, he let out a loud whoop. “I killed your soldier, dude!” he said, nudging Corey, who wasn’t paying attention to the game, his worried gaze going between Beth and their father.

  Their father made a grunting sound. “Yes, Dante’s a—”

  “Where’s Mum?” Beth cut him off, knowing he was going to insult Dante.

  “She’s gone to get some pizza, cos Sledge wouldn’t shut the hell up ’bout it.”

  “That’s cos pizza’s the best food ever!” Sledge hollered, not taking his eyes off the game.

  “Keep your voice down, Sledge. You’re bein’ too loud again.”

  Sledge continued playing, not acknowledging him.

  Shaking his head, her father’s gaze moved to Corey. “Keep the noise down or the game goes off. I wanna talk to Beth in peace.”

  “Sure.” Corey pushed up from the couch.

  Sledge grabbed his arm and yanked him back down. “Stay put, piker.”

  “But, I want a drink.”

  “I’ll get you one,” Beth’s dad said. He disappeared into the kitchen, returning with a glass of juice.

  “I want Coke,” Corey said.

  “And I want a beer, which means we’re both not gettin’ what we want. So, drink what I give you without complaining.”

  “But—”

  “No buts, Corey. You need to stop drinking that rubbish.”

  Grumbling, Corey took the drink.

  Their father placed a hand on Beth’s back, directing her through the kitchen doorway and into the dining room.

  “Sit, Beth,” he said, pulling out a chair for her.

  Beth sat down, her nausea now forgotten, only her father’s stern expression concerning her.

  He sat down in front of her, his hazel-green eyes fixed firmly on her face. “I must say, I’m very disappointed in you, Beth. Of all my children, you were the one I thought would do things right.”

  She dropped her gaze, the disappointment in his voice too much to handle.

  “Oh, sweetie, don’t cry.” He wiped her cheeks. “I just don’t understand why you would allow this to happen. You should’ve known better than to go with someone like Dante Rata. Ash wuz bad enough, but Dante’s a hundred times worse.”