***
Misti, Maria, and Pops left the restaurant, saddened by the rebuff from Adam after all these years. Maria, his ‘Mom’ held out hope that Adam would relent if she asked, based on his faith in her alone. It was clear, however, that they had misjudged the degree of hurt and pain that they had inflicted upon Adam in that distant past.
Their silence in the face of his pain had once been deafening; now the silence was compounded by this sudden reappearance of reminders from that bitter past.
Misti had to leave Barrows Bay back then, and that was unavoidable; Carlos knew it, and so did Edward. The rest of the family got the highlights but were told to hold firm in the face of Adam’s rage. This was best for Misti and Adam. There was no other way; if Adam knew the truth, he would never abide by their decisions and plan. That was a risk none could take.
The three arrived home and gave the family the news. Nobody said a word; they all just left and went to their homes.
And waited.
***
One week later, the Romanos closed the restaurant for a special celebratory dinner. Adam, always prompt, was an hour late for the festivities but called ahead. He would not miss out on any event, no matter how small, leading up to this wedding. Traffic was a monster jam, and he was stuck in the middle lane.
On her cell, Lola said, “I’ll be drunk and easy by the time you arrive. I may need to be de-horned by my bull. Can you help me out?”
“Of your dress, yeah. If I leave my car and run, I can be there in thirty minutes. Don’t pass out.”
“No promises. But I like drunk sex.”
Adam did the stupid thing and left his car to be towed and started walking then hustling toward Mama Luigi’s. When he heard the explosion, he shifted into a full-on sprint. He prayed it was another building, faulty wiring igniting a gas leak.
It was Mama Luigi’s. By the time he got there, three bodies were huddled together in body bags. Fifteen others, all from the neighborhood, were lying on a plastic sheet, awaiting more body bags.
He stayed to identify the victims including Lola, Tony, and Angie. He floundered for weeks, unable to grasp the reality that his Lola and his new family were now dead. He railed against God, swore vengeance on the perpetrators then turned his thoughts to Barrows Bay. They knew something and wouldn’t say. They were just as responsible as the murderers for ripping his life apart again. They wouldn’t talk when they were in New York but, by God, he would make them speak now.
Adam snapped. He was on the next flight to Victoria and Barrows Bay to rip out of the throats of whoever was responsible for the murders of his new family, but mostly the viper Misti Alarcon.
He thought to call his father to let him know he should either explain what he knew and failed to tell him or run. Father or not, someone was going to pay the piper. Misti was first on his list. He mulled over his anger again and again as the plane landed in Vancouver.
He coptered over to Victoria International and rented a car. He would confront them and drag the truth out of them, painfully if necessary.
“Lola is dead,” he would say. “You are responsible. Vengeance is mine. I suggest you run while you still can.”
But he said nothing, called no one. He would catch the lot of them and squeeze the truth out of each one, beginning with Misti. Yes, he thought, catch them unawares and show them a side of his personality they never wanted to see in him.
Chapter 5
The doorbell chimed at the St. James residence in Barrows Bay, just as Anna was finishing up making lunch for her husband who had mysteriously disappeared downstairs to his secret lair. He had recently finished constructing a “safe room,” complete with all the goodies necessary to remain safe, secure and with food, water, air, and communications should home invasion ever rear its ugly head. Anna thought it was a waste of time and money, but it kept her hubby busy which was a good thing.
Edward was more agitated than usual after Misti, Maria and Agustin returned from New York, and he had not yet heard the news of the death of the Romano family. The explosion and murders made the papers in New York but weren’t even newsworthy across the river in New Jersey. That being the case, it hardly would make its way to Barrows Bay. Adam was counting on it.
Anna opened the door to see Misti on the doorstep with Cindy approaching on the sidewalk right behind her.
“Misti, luv. We weren’t expecting you today, were we? If I’d known, I’d have made more for lunch.”
“I thought I was summoned by you-know-who. He says we need to meet in his new ‘cone of silence,’ something he wants to discuss among the four of us. Do you know what the Prince of Darkness wants?”
“No clue. He’s senile, I think. But, let’s humor him and go down to his man cave and see what he wants.”
Cindy arrived. “What’s the panic? His nibs summoned me urgently and said we had to meet right away in private and in secret. Not a word to Rod or his folks. What’s up?”
“Who knows? I’d hoped he was still tinkering with his new digs, but if he says we need to meet, I guess we do.”
Anna started to close the door when Adam, pushed his way in, pistol in one hand and plastic ties in the other.
“Well, we’re all here now, so let’s join Dad downstairs.”
Anna said, “Adam, have you lost your mind. What on earth are you doing? We’re a family. Put that gun away this instant. You’re in my home, not yours.”
“Well Mom, I haven’t lost my mind, the gun is absolutely necessary, and we’re all going to join Dad in his new habitat.”
Anna pressed a button on her bracelet. “Not likely, son. Your father is now sealed in our safe room, and he will no doubt have the police on their way here soon. Maybe you should leave before this gets ugly.”
“Dad’s downstairs, tied to a chair, and I have the code to the safe room. So, be good little girls and put these bracelets on. We need to talk.”
The ladies did as instructed.
Adam said, “These ties are new, an invention courtesy of the Mindwerks. The more you try to pull on them to loosen them, the more they tighten around your wrist and ankles. I wouldn’t test them, but you probably will try anyway. Be my guest. But there will be pain. I apologize in advance for that, but please take note my insincerity. I don’t really care if you’re in pain or die. If the circulation in your arm is cut off for a certain amount of time, you will die an agonizing death. Just a head’s up; as Misti said to me, my fiancé and her family in New York, don’t say I didn’t warn you. Now, let’s all join Papa downstairs.”
The four walked down to the basement where Edward was tied and gagged and seated in a comfortable chair inside the locked safe room. Adam punched in the code.
“You two on the couch and Misti you get on the floor, face down. Try anything, and I will make your worst nightmares come true. I may anyway if I don’t get what I came for, but since no one knows I’m here, I’m the last guy the cops will suspect of a quadruple homicide. Don’t test my patience and don’t try to lie. I’ve brought tech to compel you to talk. Don’t make me use it; it’s unpleasant. Scream or curse or try anything unhygienic, and I will start dismantling Misti one piece at a time. Are we clear on the ground rules? All I want is the truth, so this should be quick and easy. Then I leave. All good.”
“Not this way, son. This isn’t how we work, and you know it. Untie us and let’s have a civil conversation, and we will tell you everything we can.”
“Thanks for the offer but no thanks. You’ve been protecting someone, lying to me and, worse, siding with this creature who isn’t even your blood.”
Misti was furious and spitting venom. “Why not just leave and go back to Lola and your new family. Leave us in peace, and we’ll never bother you again. You have my word.”
“Yes, normally that would be a reasonable offer. And, FYI, I would gladly accept it and wipe you utterly and completely from my mind. But, unfortunately, that option is now off the table. You t
old me I was in danger as were those around me, but not why. A week after you left, I was late for dinner at the restaurant. By the time I arrived, the place was rubble. My fiancé, her parents, and all the customers there to celebrate our impending nuptials were dead. Murdered. And I think, check that, I know, you had something to do with it — all of you. Especially you, Misti, but Dad and Mom are involved in this too. So are you, Cindy. We’re all assembled here now, so the time has come for explanations. Tell me everything and, if I get what I want, you all get to live. Unless you did this thing yourselves, in which case I will personally kill every last one of your co-conspirators.”
Edward said, “We had nothing to do with that tragedy. We aren’t killers. I’m very sorry for your loss, as we all are.”
“Well, that right there is a giant whopper. You have forty-eight kills to your credit, Daddy, and Misti has God knows how many by now. But way more than forty-eight. Mom? Cindy? How much blood is on your hands? I didn’t bother to check.”
Misti said, “We tried to warn you. What happened is on you, not us.”
“I beg to differ about what constitutes a warning, and the deaths of my New York family are on you. You should have told me everything. You could have prevented this. I could have protected my fiancé. Now three gentle people, who I loved and who loved me, are dead. You will start talking, or I’ll start surgically removing parts of you, Misti.”
Adam pulled out a stiletto and walked over to Misti, flipping her over on her back. She was kicking and struggling.
“Nice try, but these ties are special too. I peel off the ends, and they super glue your wrists and ankles to the cement floor. Adam proceeded to lock down the struggling woman.
“I’d like to say I’ll take no satisfaction in what I’m about to do, but then, that’s not true. I will remove one button on your blouse at a time. If you talk, I stop. When the buttons are gone, I start on her bra. After that, I’ll begin removing body parts. Don’t test my will. I’ve lost everyone I have ever loved, and my heart is broken. You’re responsible for all my nightmares. Now, Dad, start talking.”
“Son, stop this insanity. We don’t know anything, and we did not kill your friends.”
“Family, Dad. Not just friends. And if you knew nothing, why did Misti fly to New York to warn me? Caught in your own web of lies.”
Misti said, “You fucking idiot; we did it to save you. We’ve kept a secret for twelve years to save you. We can’t say anything about it. We couldn’t warn you. You would never have listened.”
“Nice try. But my fiancé is sitting in the morgue in pieces. She’s not coming back.”
“They were after you and Lola, not the rest. Collateral damage.”
“I have an urge to put a bullet in your head right now and be done with this. Collateral damage? Those were living, breathing people who I loved. Are you trying to blame me for not following some vague bullshit warning? Would you? No, you wouldn’t. If you loved me, which you obviously don’t, you would have told me everything.”
Misti said, “Then OK Mister ‘I want vengeance.’ Let’s settle this here and now. Let me up, and we fight. Winner gets whatever he or she wants; loser leaves the winner alone forever.”
“Deal,” said Adam. “Let’s rock!”
Adam cut all the ties securing Misti. She was confident, as were the other three captives that Misti would prevail, and quickly, then Adam would leave and leave them alone. Their mission to protect him accomplished, though not the way they wanted.
Misti squared off with Adam, testing and probing his defenses. She noted his skills were much improved; this might be a tougher fight than she thought.
She attacked over and over again without landing a punch, kick or jab. Adam just defended.
He said, “Give up now, and I won’t have to hurt you.”
“Many have tried, none have succeeded. You won’t either.”
Misti tried a side kick to the kidneys, but Adam blocked the kick and swept her other leg. She was down on the floor but, in cat-like fashion, kipped up. Had Adam not caught her in mid-flight, she would have landed squarely and compactly in a defensive position, ready to counterattack. Instead, Adam used his open palm and landed a punch which shattered several teeth and broke her nose. Stunned, she got up to fight on, but the blood gushing from her face was now blurring her vision. She was defenseless.
“Sit down and keep your trap shut,” Adam said to the injured Misti.
Adam turned to his father, “Where’s your first aid?”
Edward pointed to a cabinet. Adam grabbed the kit and tossed it to Misti, still groggy and trying to stop the room from spinning.
Adam said, “Your arrogance is nothing short of astounding. The Art of War teaches us to know our enemy and use their own foolishness against them. You think I’m weak. That was your downfall. Now, start talking.”
Anna said, “It’s simple, really. A group contacted us; we don’t know who, and they told us that you and Misti could never marry or have children. Not you together or separately. They said if we told you, they would kill everyone here in Barrows Bay and everyone in the Eight Families no matter who they were. They sent a list of every family member, their addresses and phone numbers. We ignored it as a crank prank, but Misti took it seriously. When she decided enough time had passed and nothing happened, she wrote to you to explain what she did and why.”
“Never got anything. You’re lying.”
“I’m not. We have a copy of Misti’s email, along with the photos of Carlos, dead from a one-person car accident.”
Misti said, “He hit a tree, drunk. Dad quit drinking years ago.”
“Why didn’t you get word to me.”
“We think they’ll know if you are aware of the threat; you’ll try to track them down. The only way to be safe is to do as they say. They warned against seeking them out. They promised a lot more dead bodies.”
Edward interjected, “They gave us proof of their ability to carry out their threat. I checked with my law enforcement sources; this cabal is for real. We didn’t know what to do, so we did this, thinking we could repair what we did later. But we never were able to get in touch with you. For that, I am truly sorry.”
“You’re fucking idiots, all of you. Did you believe all those threats and nonsense? You decided you knew what was best for me? Now Lola and her folks are dead. This is on you for being so stupid. There were a million ways to get word to me, but you decided to keep me in the dark as if it was your decision alone to make. You knew Lola, and I were getting married and planning to have kids. Yet you were silent.”
“We thought we had more time; we were going to warn you. We never thought this would happen. You must believe us. We only wanted to keep you safe.”
Adam cut the remaining three free. He turned to walk away, now satisfied he knew what he had to do.
“Don’t try to contact me now or ever in the future. I’ll take care of this myself. But you’re going to tell me everything, every point of your contact with persons unknown. I want everything, no matter how small the detail.”
“Not completely true,” said a voice. “I’m here now that you need me again. You can’t do this alone, and these four cowards will only get in the way.”
The four looked at each other.
“Who’s there? Show yourself.”
Hecate the Immortal appeared to the room in holographic form.
“Husband, it’s time to restore your knowledge and powers. He commands it.”
“Go ahead. And I’m glad you’re here. Where have you been for the last thirty-odd years?”
“Watching. You were doing fine until now. I’m afraid your mind is going to get worse before it begins to get better. I’ll be around, and you can call on me whenever you need me. I’m bringing the kids, and we’re going to reside in your mind. But you’re not fine, and there’s nothing I can do to help this time. You have a mortal mental condition of a kind I cannot fix. You must find a wa
y back yourself. I know you will, just not with these morons.”
“Who are you?”
“Adam’s wife. We have five children now.”
“Where are you from? What country?”
“Mortals? How do you stand them, husband? I’m not from this planet. I exist on an Immortal plane where your fucking rules don’t apply.”
Hecate turned to Adam, “I can implode them if you’d like for being this stupid. One less set of problems.”
“Leave them. But if they come anywhere near me, you have my permission to send their essences on to eternity. Implode first, ask questions later.”
“Husband, I have made arrangements for you to go to San Diego and check into the Tolan Clinic. You will need to leave right away.”
“I have work to do. You know what lies ahead.”
“Yes, but not right now. I have held back some knowledge and all your grief, but I am compelled to release it now that you know the truth.”
“Hecate, what don’t I know?”
“Well, for starters, you have a humongous new condo in downtown San Diego in Gastown, all paid for. Kalindra took care of that for you. I impersonated you and told her everything. You start therapy next week, or whenever you’re ready.”
“Hecate! Everything, now. Please.”
“Lola was pregnant. With twins. Now get to your place in San Diego before I release all your grief at once. It will flood over you and consume you. I will modify your moods for as long as I can, but if you don’t find peace and meaning in this lifetime and soon, you will eventually die. I know you better than this weak nonsense. You’ve faced worse. Now man up, get to San Diego and get to work. Time is a-wasting. I cannot interfere more than this now, but once you begin to get better, I can do much more like the old days when we were a team. I’ll handle the kids; you need to get better. Now scoot. It is His will.”
Adam turned toward the four and began to leave. “Stay away. You’re on your own now.”
Chapter 6
Patsy Murray Page 5
