Once outside she moved round to the front of the car to meet him.
“I’ve got this under control,” he assured her. “But if it comes down to the wire, I can count on you right?”
She squeezed his hand and nodded.
Taylor walked round to meet them.
“So here we are,” she said. “Now let’s talk specifics.”
They turned to her.
“How much money are we talking about?”
Finn shook his head. “It’s a single suitcase. Filled with hundred dollar bills. So my guess would be maybe … a million dollars.”
“Holy shit, I should split some of it with you,” Taylor gushed.
“I’m right for money, thank you,” Finn said.
“Alright. Now where on the ship is this case exactly. I don’t want any surprises.”
“There’s a hidden safe on the roof somewhere,” Finn said.
“And you know the combination?”
“He gave it to me in the event he was ever held up by the cops and needed bail money,” Finn said.
“That’s awfully trusting of him.”
“Not so much,” Finn said. “A million dollars is just a drop in the ocean for us sharks.”
“Alright, alright, no need to brag,” Taylor said. “Let’s get on with it then. Lead the way, Finn.”
Finn bowed his head obediently.
Bryonie went to follow, but glanced back at Taylor a moment.
“He’s a good guy you know,” Bryonie said. “Just … remember that.”
“A good guy? You don’t say,” Taylor muttered. “I thought they were all dead.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
The roof was drenched in darkness. The moon overhead provided little light, trapped hallway behind a wall of clouds. For whatever reason the power had been shut off inside the ship so the elevator wasn’t working and they had to take the stairs. There wasn’t much audible exchange between them at this point. With each step they took, the tension seemed to expand. Whether Finn was lying or Taylor would get her money hadn’t been determined yet. The only thing Bryonie felt for sure, was that someone was about to get hurt.
This dark roof had claimed many lives already.
Finn stopped once they had reached the top. He turned, waiting for the other two.
“Keep going,” Taylor advised.
Finn stepped out into the open. Bryonie wrapped her arms around herself, shivering from the cold.
“What are you doing?” Taylor asked.
Finn had begun to remove the covering from the first pool.
“It’s in here. At the bottom.”
“Where Leah died?” Bryonie asked, wincing.
“That’s right.”
Finn continued moving around the edge of the pool, pulling back the cover. Bryonie looked across towards Taylor to see what her expression was.
For a moment she thought she saw sadness.
“Quit staring, you’ll go blind,” Taylor muttered.
She walked across towards the pool’s edge. Finn had finished removing the covering.
He stared at her from the opposite end.
“Well, what are you waiting for?” Taylor demanded. “In you go.”
Finn sighed. He unbuttoned his jacket and shirt, removing them. He kicked off his shoes and socks and dived into the water.
Bryonie peered over the edge.
He was already at the bottom of the pool.
“If it’s him or me, who do you choose?” Taylor asked.
“What?” Bryonie asked, looking up.
“Him or me. Make a choice.”
“What are you talking about?” Bryonie yelled. “He’ll give you the money and then you leave us alone!”
“Him or me,” Taylor said faintly.
She got down on one knee. She was opening her carry-bag.
“What is that?” Bryonie asked. “What are you doing?”
Taylor pulled out the taser Ms. Ferns had given them and fired it up.
She put the gun on the ground beside her.
Finn’s arms bobbed to the surface. He shoved a black case along towards wall near Taylor.
Taylor reached down. Caught it.
Pulled it ashore.
“That’s it,” Finn said swimming over. “You can check it if you want.”
“It’s okay,” Taylor said. “I believe you.”
“Finn!” Bryonie shouted. “Get out of the fucking water!”
He glanced at her a moment and then surged out of the water, grasping Taylor’s ankles. She slipped over and fell into the water with him, letting go of the taser.
Bryonie ran across to the edge where they were.
“Bryonie!” Taylor screamed. “Help me!”
Dark matter bled out into the waters.
Bryonie watched in horror as it wasn’t Finn Taylor was struggling against, but a killer shark.
“Bryonie!” Taylor screamed. “Do it for Leah!”
Bryonie looked down and saw the taser.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Behaviors and actions. Lead to behaviors and actions. The meaning behind one’s motivation isn’t always clear. For instance, while Bryonie and the others made their mind up about Taylor and why she chose to put those wires in the pool, the only person who truly knew why she did what she did was Taylor herself. Did Taylor really believe Bryonie was going to follow suit with her own suggestion to electrocute the pool? Taylor would die, just as Leah did. But perhaps Leah didn’t have to die. And neither did Taylor.
It wasn’t too long ago that Bryonie could remember the breakdown inside the school toilets. Her classmates had formed a ring around the door. They weren’t letting anyone pass inside, but then no one really wanted to go inside. They were too afraid to. Someone had seen blood, and someone else had heard crying, and that was enough for people to run.
Bryonie had no intention of running. She forced her way through the crowd and stormed into the bathroom, not really sure what she was about to find.
Then she immediately heard it.
Crying from the last stall.
Bryonie walked across towards it, seeing spots of blood on the floor as she passed. She reached out to the door and pushed it ajar. Taylor was sitting on the ground next to the toilet.
Her wrists were bleeding.
“Taylor!” Bryonie squealed. “What the fuck are you doing?”
Taylor dropped the razor.
Bryonie took her hand to see the cuts.
They weren’t deep.
“Get the fuck away from me,” Taylor wheezed.
“No, Taylor,” Bryonie squealed. “You’re hurt.”
Bryonie ran to the paper towel dispenser and pulled out a bundle of sheets. She quickly went back to Taylor and bandaged each of her hands.
Taylor let her.
“Why did you do this? What the hell is the matter of you?” Bryonie said, shaking her.
Taylor shook her head, weeping. “I just want it stop.”
“What do you want to stop?”
“My fucking life, alright. I want to die.”
“No! No you do not!”
Taylor winced. “You don’t understand. You don’t know anything.”
“So make me understand.”
And that’s when Taylor told her. All about the father she had in jail who raped her. The alco-mother who didn’t seem to care. Her friends Leah and Erin who didn’t know how to do anything but blame Taylor for what her father had done to them.
“There’s darkness in the world, Bryonie,” Taylor said. “You can only run so far before the light runs out. And it catches you.”
“You’re better than this, Taylor.”
“Than what?”
Bryonie picked up the razor and threw it away. “From this fucking shit.”
“So what if I die?” Taylor said. “Wouldn’t you be happy? One less person picking on you. One less stupid, ugly bully out there.”
“Taylor, you’re not stupid or ugly.”
“Y
eah thanks.”
“I’m serious! You’re like the best looking girl in our year level. All guys want you. What I would give to have that kind of attention. Instead of being called fat all the time.”
“Wow. So people want to fuck me. Yeah, that’s worked out real swell.”
Bryonie swallowed. “Look – what he did to you – he’s a monster. But … you are so much better than having your life defined by him. All those people out there love you. They look up to you. I, look up to you.”
Taylor shuddered. “You do?”
“Of course I do.”
Bryonie hugged her.
“Alright, alright, enough with that,” Taylor muttered brushing her aside. “Now help me up.”
Once Taylor was on her feet again, they left the bathroom together.
The girls were still standing around outside.
Taylor ignored them, her only focus on clearing a path.
But someone had to get her attention.
“Hey Taylor!” one of them shouted. “You’ve picked up a stray pig.”
The girls giggled.
Bryonie went red.
Taylor turned around like lightning. “Her name is Bryonie and she’s my friend. If you say another word about her so help me God, I’ll smash your fucking face in.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
I’d just got done showing Haley Ferns my credentials when shots rang out aboard the ship. I pulled my revolver from my jacket as her eyes filled with alarm. As though I was about to shoot her.
“Cover me,” I said forcing my way by her.
God knows who psycho Taylor had blown away now. Heaven help them if Finn had managed to get a hold of the gun. He might have shot them both.
I busted through the ships interior following the path towards the staircase. I rushed up them, my feet leaping through the air at relentless speed. Upon reaching the top I immediately saw where the girls were, just outside the pool.
Someone fired a shot at me.
I dived for cover.
“Don’t shoot! I’m on your side!”
Haley ran up behind me. “Freeze!” she shouted. “Put the gun down.”
Catching my breath, I looked across to see Bryonie putting her hands in the air. She was still on the ground with Taylor who was lying down. I couldn’t see where the gun was.
“Where’s Finn?” I called out to them.
“In the pool,” Bryonie called back.
I got to my feet again and hurried over to the pool where Finn’s human body was floating in the water. “Finn? Can you hear me?”
He glared up at me. Began swimming to the side of the pool.
“Don’t,” I commanded, aiming my gun at him. “Stay where you are.”
He ignored me, climbing out over the edge.
He lay down on his stomach, choking. He’d been shot.
“Get away from her,” Haley said pulling Bryonie away from Taylor.
“She needs an ambulance,” Bryonie exclaimed. “She’s hurt.”
“What the hell happened here?” I demanded.
Taylor tried to sit up. “Bryonie saved me. She’s my hero.”
“Was Finn attacking you?” Haley asked.
Taylor nodded.
“Why are you with Colton?” Bryonie asked Haley.
“He’s working with the paranormal police,” Haley answered. “He’s undercover. He showed me his papers just before.”
“Bullshit!” Bryonie squealed. “He’s lying!”
“Just sit down,” Haley said forcing her back. “Stay out of this.”
I reached into my pocket and pulled out a pair of handcuffs. I tossed them onto Finn and they slid off him to the ground with a thud.
He lifted his face up appearing confused.
“Put them on,” I instructed. “We’re taking you in.”
Finn gazed back the girls. “I’m undercover. Not him.”
“Don’t make me repeat myself,” I snarled. “I’ll fucking shoot you.”
“If I put these cuffs on,” Finn said, picking them up, “he’ll kill all of us.”
“Just put them on, Finn,” Haley said. “Or you’ll get a bullet from me as well.”
Finn sat himself up by the railing. He turned the cuffs over in his hands.
“We both know the truth, Colton. You and I. We know which of us killed all those women. We know which of us is the monster. But they don’t know, do they? They’re not sure if I’m guilty … or you’re innocent.”
I glanced up towards the women.
“Make your move, Finn. Or put on the cuffs. It’s your choice.”
Finn gave a small throw, and the cuffs landed beneath the pool’s surface.
I bent down on my knees as Haley walked around. “Here use mine –”
Too late. I already had my hand in the water.
Finn used my distraction as a chance to latched onto my free arm with his ravenous jaws. The gun slipped from my fingers.
“AARRGGH!!!”
I brought my fist out of the water, striking him in the face as we both went down together.
I could feel everyone rushing around us as Finn pinned me down.
“Shoot him!” I shouted. “Before he breaks my fucking arms!”
Finn forced a smile. “They’re not going to shoot me. Your lies aren’t –”
He cut out midsentence, the blood gurgling in his throat.
He slumped to one side and Haley pushed him off me.
She helped me back to my feet. “Thanks.”
I looked from Finn’s body to the girls standing behind Haley.
Both looked absolutely ripped apart.
I bent down and picked up my fallen revolver. They watched as I tucked it in my waistband.
“If I was the killer I would have shot you by now,” I said. “Finn said so himself.”
I turned my back to them as they embraced. And cried.
And covered themselves with arms and faces and beating hearts.
But I didn’t feel bad about it.
Finn knew who I was. And I knew all about Finn.
And while it’s true we knew each other, there’s one thing you could never call us.
Friends.
Epilogue
DAYLIGHT
The bus had reached its destination. Bryonie was already halfway out of her seat as it stopped, hurrying across the aisle briskly, saying thank you to the bus driver before she hit the ground. As the bus drove away, the sun rained down across her skin, filling her aura. She tugged on the carry-bag’s strap at her shoulder, and then marched along the footpath towards Frankie’s Diner.
Right now it was ten o’clock on a Tuesday Morning weeks after what had happened regarding her final standoff with Taylor, Finn and the Paranormal Police. Finn had not survived the night. Despite Bryonie riddling his body with bullets, the reports filed simply said that he had been killed by Ms. Ferns as he was attacking the undercover agent, Colton Van Wieran. Bryonie still hadn’t completely recovered, but she wasn’t a mess anymore as she had been. There were still so many questions to be answered – questions for other people, and questions for herself. She wouldn’t know how she felt about things until at least this day was over.
Bryonie headed on into the diner and looked across at the busy tables. She spied Taylor and made her way over to the booth. Taylor was drinking coffee and had a plate of pancakes in front of her.
“Bryonie.”
She stood up as Bryonie approached, giving her an unexpected hug.
Bryonie allowed it, but was still unsettled. She hadn’t planned on showing much emotion.
“Sit down,” Taylor urged her. “Do you want something to eat? My shout.”
“Thanks,” Bryonie said. “I’ll … I’ll get a donut if they have any.”
“You and your donuts,” Taylor muttered.
Bryonie kicked her underneath the table.
“Sorry,” Taylor blushed. “Couldn’t help myself.”
She waved across to the donut. “Two do
nuts and a cup of coffee for my friend here.”
The waitress smiled and waved back.
Bryonie slid herself properly in. Rested her carry-bag.
“Thanks for meeting me,” Taylor said. “I know after everything went down –”
“It’s okay,” Bryonie said. “I’m over it.”
“I don’t think we’ll ever be over it,” Taylor said. “Not with Leah and Erin and the other girls. Some days I just fall to pieces.”
“You’re looking good now though,” Bryonie said. “Your skin has good color.”
“Thanks,” Taylor beamed. “I’ve been doing my best.”
“Seems like it.”
The waitress came over placing the plate of donuts and coffee in front of Bryonie. Bryonie said thank you and picked up the nearest one. Started to eat.
“I wanted to thank you,” Taylor said. “For what happened that night. You could have easily thrown the taser in the water and saved yourself. Instead … you shot Finn. And you were into him. You thought you had something going there. And you just shot him. I couldn’t believe it. I never knew … that you even cared about me. Especially after all I did.”
Bryonie nodded slowly. “I didn’t think I’d do that either. It must have been instinct. I just saw you being attacked by a monster and I had to save you. Even if I did love a part of that monster.”
“You think he did it, don’t you?”
“You mean the murders?”
Taylor nodded. “I’ve been through it over and over in my mind. What was said. It was like … it should have been Colton who went down. But, that’s how evil Finn was. That’s how manipulative and deceptive. Even in his death we’re still wondering if he was the bad guy.”
“Yeah,” Bryonie said. “Well, I’m going in to see them today. After I’m done here. I’m going to get some answers.”
“You should come with me. Not that – I expect you to or anything. I’ll be alright on my own. But you should do it for you.”
“Where are you going again?”
“That’s the crazy thing,” Taylor said. “I don’t even know. This is like the furthest I’ve been in this direction. I might just keep going. See where the highway leads.”
“Well, there’s always a map for that.”
Cruisin' With Sharks (Paranormal Mysteries #1) Page 17
