by Sadie Jacks
The SWAT officer took both. Turned and handed them to his partner. “Any other weapons on you, ma’am?”
Momma shook her head. “No. But you are free to check, although I request that a woman be the one to pat me down.” She tugged her robe closed at the neck. “My husband gets antsy when other men try to touch me.” She winked at her husband.
Nico groaned. “Momma, not now. You can frisk her. We’re all adults.”
Momma stuck her nose up in the air as she held out her hands. “Just because I try to preserve my marriage vows does not earn me your griping, Domenico Amatucci. See how you like it when they pat down your doctor.”
Nico snarled. Took a quick step towards the doctor in question. He caught himself as the various police officers took aggressive stances again. He clenched his jaw so hard, I saw the muscles in his face twitch. He nodded. “Momma, we will be talking.”
She glared at her son. “Yes. We will.”
So badly did I want to make the ‘oooooh,’ sound from high school, but I restrained myself. A female officer came over, patted down Nik and Willow. A male followed behind and patted down me and Turo.
Once everyone in the room was cleared, a few family members were told to wait with a small contingent of officers. Nik, Willow, Nico, and I were pulled aside by Wright. “I need that evidence now. I’ve brought along a tech.”
Nik sniffed, but kept her mouth shut.
“Right this way, District Attorney,” Nico said. He moved back down the long hallway we’d emerged from earlier. “Most of the evidence is on hard drives. Your tech will need to discuss extraction with our tech.” He pointed at Nik. “I trust they can work together without incident.”
Nik smiled. “As long as your tech is competent, I can work with her.”
Wright smiled. “She’s a him, but thank you.” A man with bags of gear waved from the back of the group. His reddish hair was a crazy tangle of curls that looked more suited to a baby than a man old enough to work with the DAs office.
We turned into the room. Even with all the equipment off, the room felt heavy. As if a low burning expectation waited in the corners. Waited for some kind of weakness to show itself. To pounce. To shred.
I pulled Willow into my arms. If I felt it, I could only imagine how she felt in here.
“The hard drives are encrypted with 256 bit encryption,” Nik said. “I’m familiar with the software he used, so I utilized an old developer backdoor. But there is a self-destruct function that has been activated. Unless, or until, you get the correct biometrics inputted, you have one more chance to access the data. I highly suggest you make a secure copy and securely send the data.” She smiled. “It just so happens that PennCorp specializes in such software. I’d be happy to set you up with a partitioned section of a secure server or help you send it to one of your own.”
I smothered the smile as the DA looked at my IT expert. The IT tech with the DA looked equally as surprised.
“We’ve got a partial petabyte server free,” the DA’s IT guy said. He stepped forward, set his gear on one of the free desks.
Nik smiled, scooted back so the tech could get his stuff arranged how he wanted it. She looked up at me. Smiled.
I looked back at the DA. “That part is settled. What else do you need from us?”
Wright ran his hand over his forehead. “I need sworn statements of what happened here. The admission of perjury in the previous case.”
I nodded. Looked at Nico.
His smile was tight, but he nodded as well. “We can arrange that.”
“Bossman,” Nik called out. “What do you want to do about the personal files?” She flicked her gaze at Willow. Back to me.
Shit. I looked at Wright. “Willow’s ex-husband gives his last will and testament on film. He’s left everything to her. Will that hold up in the courts?”
He shrugged. “I’ll have to review it.”
Willow clenched my hand in hers. “I can show you where the bodies are buried.”
Wright chuckled. “Most everyone I know has skeletons in their closet, Ms. Chase.”
She held his gaze. “That may be, but I’m talking about the literal bodies. From my last conversation with my ex-husband, there should be seventy-three of them.” She lifted her chin.
His eyes bugged out. “And you’re just now coming forward with this information?”
I stiffened my spine. “Ms. Chase has made multiple reports about this. Spanning at least eighteen months. Houseton and Cambridge are the current investigating officers. Amatucci sent over copies of his own files that had mysteriously gone missing from the precinct. It seems you need to clean your own house before you come sniffing for dirt in ours.”
Wright pinched the bridge of his nose. “I’ll be looking into that.”
I nodded. “See that you do. We also have video evidence of Cavendish providing Errington with an electric diode that was found in Ms. Chase’s body. He was using it to essentially electrocute her. Cavendish made thinly veiled references to killing both of us. He also mentions knowing de Silva. Additionally, Ethan’s seen, on camera, accepting at least fifteen girls from de Silva. I think you have much more to worry about than some reports.”
Nico stepped up beside us. “We’ll sign your affidavits, our confessions to perjury. But I want an investigation into Houseton launched. She repeatedly attacked my client, blamed her for the trauma. An outside doctor is willing to testify against Houseton.”
Wright sighed. “You guys have been busy, I see.” He looked over at the IT people. Nodded. “Take a beat, scratch out a confession to the perjury, I’ll add it to the file. It could be that the judge will side with you considering the state we found you all in when we arrived.” He pulled two pads of paper from his briefcase. “Use these. Each of you go to a different corner of the room and write it down. As much detail as possible.” He tore off a couple sheets and handed them to me. He gave a pad to Willow and one to Nico.
I went off to the far corner of the room after I got Willow settled at one of the tables. Her hands were shaking as she laid the tablet of paper down on the desktop. I pressed a kiss to her hair. “We’re almost done, cupcake. Almost done.”
She nodded, seemed to settle.
Across the room, I used the low coffee table as a writing surface. I wrote down my perjury confession in as concise a language as I could manage. I kept all personal remarks about Ethan, Willow, the Amatucci family—hell, everything my life had become lately—out of it.
I was just scrawling my name across the bottom of the page when I heard a commotion at the door.
“Hands up. Hands up where I can see them,” one of the uniformed officers barked.
I looked over. Mas was coming into the room. His mouth was set in firm lines as he put his hands over his head. “I’m unarmed,” he said. I could barely hear him with his whispered voice.
The panicked officer radioed for one of his colleagues to come pat Mas down. Mas stood placidly by while they checked him for weapons. He remained still as they finished and backed away.
Nico stood up. He slid his pad of paper to Wright before he turned to his brother. They held a little confab near the door.
Nico was shaking his head and gripping Mas’ arm as I delivered my papers to Wright as well. Wright grabbed my arm, pulling my attention. “Penn,” he said.
I looked down at him. Raised my eyebrows.
“If some of what I’m seeing and hearing from these videos is even close to verifiable, there’s going to be a shitshow I can’t contain.” He looked at Willow. His mouth twisted into a broken line. “Seventy-three victims. She’s going to be crucified in the media.” He looked up at me. “Get in front of this. Now. Start working with someone who understands media relations. Put together a press package.”
I opened my mouth to slap him back.
He held up a hand. “We won’t be pressing charges.” He shook his head again. “There’s obviously enough data here that indemnifies her, exonerates her. But the fami
lies? They’re going to want blood. If you care for that woman at all, get a media consultant. A good one.” He let me go, turned back to his laptop.
I looked at my woman. Stronger than anyone knew, she was a huddled mess of nerves and anxiety right now. I saw her foot tapping under the table, her shoulders vibrating as she wrote her account. All I wanted to do was wrap her up in my arms and carry her far away from here. But I couldn’t. It simply wasn’t in the cards yet.
Joining Mas and Nico, I caught the tail end of their conversation. “It’s happening, Nico. I can’t not look into it. Tell Momma and Papa.” Mas shook off his brother’s hand and turned around. Headed out the door.
Nico growled low in his throat. “Fuck.”
“He going to find his daughter?” I asked softly.
Nico nodded as he turned around. “I can’t say I blame him, but now isn’t the time to be doing it. We need to stay under the radar. We’ve already brought too much attention to ourselves as it is. Our business could end up suffering from all the police exposure.”
He lifted his head, looked at Willow. The woman he’d loved for a long time. The woman I was pretty sure he now considered merely a sister. At least he’d better. He squeezed his eyes together, scrubbed his hands down his face. “We’ve got to get out of this bunker. Breathe some fresh air.” He yanked at the collar of his shirt.
Tali came in, a police officer trailing behind her. “I gave them Nathaniel’s name.” Her teeth were gritted. “His punishment should be mine to dole out, but he’s on that stupid footage.” She crossed her arms tightly over her chest. “He just better hope he gets sentenced to a very long term in prison.” She glared into the empty space between us.
I shuddered mentally. I was fiercely glad I wasn’t on the other end of that look. Tali might look like a puffball with a sexy mouth, but after watching her protect Willow and drill me with looks that froze my balls? Yeah, I wasn’t going to get on the woman’s bad side. I almost felt bad for Nathaniel.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Willow rise from her chair. She walked over to Wright, the slightest limp in her right leg. My brow furrowed. I ran over my abuse of her from the night before. I hadn’t done anything to her legs—they’d had enough damage.
I leaned forward, whispered to the Amatucci siblings who were lost in their own worlds. “Does it look like Willow is limping to you guys?”
They both turned.
After a minute of watching their adopted sister, they looked at me. Nodded.
Shit. I met Willow in the middle of the room. Swung her up into my arms. “Wright, we’re going to see the doctor in our group. Send a man to follow us if you need to.” With that, I spun on my heel and walked out of the room.
I looked at the woman in my arms. “You’re limping. Are you okay?”
She looked up at me, studied my face. With a sad smile, she nodded. “I’m tired, Ryker. So very tired.” She laid her head on my chest. “Everything hurts.”
My heart seized in my chest. “Like medically hurts or emotionally hurts.”
Her chuckle was raw. “Both.” Her breath gasped in and out of her chest. “Both, hero.”
I pulled her closer to me and picked up my pace. “Jessa!” I called out.
The good doctor looked at me from down the hallway. She came rushing over. “What’s wrong?” She looked at the woman in my arms. “Willow?”
My girl dissolved into tears. “It hurts. Everything hurts.”
Jessa looked up at me, confusion on her face.
I whispered what Willow had told me.
Jessa’s face cleared as her eyes filled with tears. “Let me tell the officers where we’re going.” She looked over my shoulder, raised her voice. “I’m taking my patient to a private room. You’re free to come with us, but you’re required to wait outside.”
Whatever signal she got must have satisfied her because she nodded and hurried down a branching hallway. She pushed open the door to the room we’d used earlier.
The sound of broken glass grinding against the cement floor reminded me I still didn’t have shoes on. I tried to tiptoe around the debris on the floor. Winced, when I hit at least one shard of glass.
Following Jessa, I set Willow down on the bed.
“What hurts the most physically right now, babe?” Jessa asked.
Willow rubbed her hands over her eyes. “My right thigh. It could just be because I’m tired, but it’s aching.”
“I’m going to touch you. Okay?” Jessa asked, her hands hovering over Willow’s right leg.
Willow leaned back. I caught her against me, provided her a steady base. I pulled her hair back, rubbed my lips over her ear.
Jessa poked and prodded Willow’s leg softly for a couple minutes.
Willow sat quietly in my lap. Not moving, not talking. I checked to make sure she was still breathing.
Jessa looked up after a moment. “Nothing feels damaged or reopened. What kind of ache? Like you’ve been on it too long? Pins and needles? Worked out too hard?”
Willow laughed at the last suggestion, so raw and exhausted. “Girl, I don’t work out.” She smiled. “But yeah, it feels like I worked out too hard.”
Jessa smiled, sat back. “You’ve been on it quite a bit. Not to mention curled up in Ryker’s lap for quite some time.” She glanced at her watch. Returned her gaze to Willow. “From my best guess, you managed maybe five hours of sleep. That’s not long enough to give your underlying tissue and vasculature a break. I’ll see about getting you released from the bunker. I would have to admit you to the hospit—”
Willow shook her head. “No. No hospitals if I can help it.” She rubbed a hand over her temple. “Would it help if I just laid down flat? Can I do that?” With her free hand, she gripped mine.
Jessa smiled. “I’ll make it work.” She squeezed Willow’s leg. “Give me two minutes to work my magic.”
Willow chuckled. “And, baby, your magic is good.” She grabbed the doctor’s hand. “Thank you.”
Jessa patted Willow’s hand. “Hey, what kind of girlfriend would I be if I didn’t make your police confinement at least physically bearable?”
She laid her hand on my shoulder as she passed.
Willow must have been tired. She didn’t even make a passing comment about another woman touching me. Even if it was Jessa.
I tugged Willow down next to me as I stretched out on the bed. We lay there in silence. I tried to create a space for her. A space of peace and solace. I wasn’t sure how successful I was, but my girl did fall asleep. So I guess it hadn’t been an awful attempt.
Chapter 3 – Willow
A nagging jiggle of my shoulders heralded someone’s immediate demise. I batted at them. “’o way.”
A snicker sounded. She jiggled me again. “We get to leave, Chase. Come on. Up and at’em,” Tali said. “Momma and Papa are taking us to lunch at Freddie’s.”
I groaned and blinked my eyes open in the dim lighting. Alone on the tiniest bed, I pushed my hair back as I looked around the room. No Ryker. I pouted at the idea that he wasn’t still with me, but pushed it back. Sucked it up. I was a strong, capable woman. I didn’t need a man to hold my hand.
“He’s finishing up with the DA and Nik. I’ve been sitting in here with you for the last two hours,” Tali offered.
I wrinkled my nose. “That obvious?”
She chuckled softly. “Probably only to me. Bright lights,” she warned right before the overhead lights buzzed to blinding life.
I winced, slapped a hand over my eyes. “Shit, Tali.”
“Come on, Chase. I want to get out of this hellhole. I let you sleep as long as I could. But we need to get back. We’ve got busy days ahead of us.”
I looked up at her. She’d had a tone in her voice. One I didn’t think I’d ever heard before. I eased to my feet as I studied her. “What’s wrong?”
She shook her head. “We’ll get into it later. Come on.” She waved me forward as if she were trying to corral a herd of children.<
br />
Stepping into my shoes again—Ryker must have taken them off me—I shook back my hair and walked after my best friend and adopted sister. I hooked my elbow through hers. “Tell me now.”
She turned her head slightly, narrowed her eyes at me. “I said later, Chase. I mean later.” She covered my mouth with her free hand as we crossed into the main hall. She flicked her gaze to the milling police officers.
Ah. The something must be family business then. I nodded.
She lowered her hand, smiled tightly at the small group of law enforcement who appeared to be waiting for us. Two females and one male officer fell into step behind us. No one talked, but the silence was deafening.
We made it back to the main space. The walls had been torn down and all the materials put to the side. With the room wide open, I goggled at the size of it. I’d known it was huge, but the stacks at least as tall as I was of gnarly sheetrock boggled my mind.
Ethan had gone to so much trouble to make this a rat’s maze. As soon as I thought it, I understood. He was a doctor, experimenting with pain and the mind. Why wouldn’t he use a rat’s maze? In the end, I’d become the rat.
I shuddered and kept walking until we made it to the base of the catwalk stairs where the rest of the Amatucci family was waiting. I didn’t see Ryker’s big form. I spun in a circle, looked for him.
After a moment of fruitless search, I turned to Tali. “Where’s Ryker?”
She jerked her thumb back at the main hallway. “With Nik and Wright.” She narrowed her eyes at me as she peered into my eyes. “Are you having trouble remembering things?” she asked softly.
I shook my head. “No. I just assumed that everyone was waiting on me. Meaning Ryker and the others would already be here.”
Her shoulders dropped the slightest degree. Nodded. “No. He called and asked me to get you up and moving around. They should be here in a couple minutes.”
I nodded. Looked at the group of people who comprised my adopted family. Momma and Papa with their dark bronze skin that spoke of their Italian lineage. Turo, the oldest and next in line for Boss, was talking to his parents in low tones.
