Love and Truth

by FRANCES, KAREN

  “Yes. I believe that’s why he attacked me. Now, there is other news I have to share.” She stares at me. “Collette, Tony’s PA… he was having an affair with her and she’s pregnant. She must be nearly sixteen weeks now.”

  She opens her mouth and then closes it. It’s not often I see Lou gobsmacked, but she is. She shakes her head. “Maria, I’m sorry you’ve had to deal with all this crap on your own. Promise me, no more secrets?”

  “I promise.”

  “Now, I think you should introduce me properly to your new man because, let’s face it, I’ve not made a very good impression.”

  I smile and we hug. I know I’ve left out the part about asking Giovanni for help, but she doesn’t need to know that on top of everything else I’ve burdened her with today.

  “Jack,” I call out.

  It doesn’t take long to hear his footsteps walking toward us. “Everything okay?” he asks, entering the sitting room.

  “Yes,” I say with a warm smile.

  Lou stands, letting go of my hand, and walks toward him, offering her hand. “Jack, we got off on the wrong foot. I’m sorry. Any friend of Maria’s is a friend of mine. But if you hurt her, you’ll pay the price.”

  “I know that,” he says, his eyes firmly on me as he shakes her hand. “But it’s not my intention to hurt Maria. I only want to protect her and have her in my life.”

  “What are you doing about Pete?” she asks.

  “We are trying to find him, but he seems to be in hiding.”

  “I know,” she says on a long sigh. “I’m worried, not just for you, Maria, but for Mark and Joe.” Her dark, sad eyes are on me.

  “Lou, we can help you. All of you,” he says.

  “Jack, none of us wants your help,” I say. “I don’t want to hinder your investigation, but I don’t want to be a part of it either.”

  Lou is nodding in agreement.

  “I know that, and I’ll do all I can to keep you out of it, but… Don’t worry,” he says. “Can I get either of you something to drink?”

  “No, thanks. I want to get back home. Mark has taken the girls to the park.”

  “I’ll see you out,” I say.

  “It was nice meeting you properly,” Lou says to Jack, and we leave the room. “Please don’t be a stranger.” She wraps her arms around me in a tight hug. I don’t want her to let me go.

  “I won’t. I love you and the girls too much.”

  “Right, go and spend some time with your man and phone me if anything happens.”

  “I will, and I’m sorry.”

  “I’m not listening.” She gives me a kiss and takes a step back. “Love you,” she shouts, walking out the front door. I stand and watch her get in her car and drive away. I finally close the door when I can no longer see her car.

  We both deserve happiness. I hope we get it, but there’s a lingering doubt in the back of my mind that we won’t.

  Chapter Ten

  Jack

  “Hey, come on. What’s wrong?” I ask, wrapping my arms around her waist, pulling her back to my front and holding her close.

  “I’m fine,” she says, her voice wavering but soft.

  “You don’t seem it.” I’m resting my chin on her shoulder and I place a kiss just below her ear. A spot I know she likes. Really likes.

  “No, honestly. I’m really okay,” she says, turning in my arms with a smile on her face and a sparkle in her eyes. “I just want Lou and me to both be happy.”

  “I think you will both be.”

  “I hope so.” She stands on her tiptoes and presses a soft, lingering kiss to my lips. A kiss I want to turn into more, but I won’t. When she wants more, I’ll be more than happy to oblige. Until then, I’ll wait. “Now, what do we plan to do for the rest of the day?”

  “We should go shopping. There’s not much in the fridge.”

  “Okay, food shopping it is. Then what?”

  “Then I plan to…” My phone starts buzzing in my back pocket. I take it out and stare at his name, mentally deciding if I want to talk to him. It stops but starts buzzing again instantly. “I need to get this,” I say apologetically. “Craig, you do know I’m off and not back until later in the week?”

  “Oh, shut up. Of course I do, but I thought you should know, a member of the public has stumbled across a dead body.”

  “Shit!” I walk toward the kitchen with Maria following. “Do we know who it is?”

  “No, but it’s the same as the others. Throat slit and two gunshot wounds. Although, it’s still bugging me why someone would do both.”

  “Yeah, well, I’m sure we’ll find out in due course. As soon as we catch whoever is responsible.”

  “Tell me you can meet me at the site.”

  I turn and look at Maria, who is looking at me with narrowed eyes and running her hands nervously down her jeans. “Yes, I’ll be there. Send me the details.” I hang up and hate that, on day one, I’ll be leaving her alone.

  I scroll through my contacts until I find his name. “Are you busy?” I ask without even saying hello.

  “No. Why, what’s wrong?”

  “I need to go into work. Another dead body has turned up this morning and I need someone here with Maria.”

  “I’ll be there in less than ten minutes.” He ends the call.

  Despite looking concerned, Maria also manages to look pissed off with me at the same time. How the hell is that even possible?

  “I don’t need babysitting,” she says, crossing her arms in front of her body. She looks kind of cute right now, but it won’t make me change my mind.

  “Maria, humour me. A dead body has turned up with injuries the same as the others we’re investigating, so forgive me for thinking about your safety. A new dead body means Pete is back on the scene. I won’t put you at risk by leaving you here alone. Joe will be here soon. He’s one of two men I trust with your life. The other would be hauling your fine ass across the city and no doubt locking you away for your own safety.”

  She laughs and I know my assumption of Giovanni is spot on. “If Joe is with me, can I go out and get the shopping?”

  I mull over her words and I hate that she even has to ask. “Of course you can. Look, if I knew there was no risk to you, I wouldn’t even ask Joe to come here.”

  “I understand. It’s something I’m going to have to live with until Pete is caught and behind bars, or is out of my life completely.” I pull her into my arms and all I want to do is stay here and protect her. She’s living in fear again, something she thought she wouldn’t have to do after the death of Tony. “Go and do whatever you need to do. I’ll be fine with Joe, and if you’re lucky, I might even cook for you.”

  “That sounds good. Will you be making Italian?” Because my love for Italian food has grown somewhat. She nods with a grin on her face. “Are you sure you’ll be okay?”

  “Yes.”

  I rush around the house, changing into a suit and gathering everything I need, much to Maria’s amusement. I’m finally organised when Joe knocks on the front door. Maria opens it and I can hear her speaking to him about telling Lou where she was. She’s annoyed at him, but I know they’ll work it out. After all, she and Lou are okay. He’s very apologetic, telling her that Lou had overheard his half of the conversation and was furious with him for keeping where Maria was a secret.

  “Right, I need to go,” I say, entering the hallway. “Joe, please stay with her until I get back. Regardless of what she says.”

  “Of course,” he agrees with a warm smile.

  “You do know I’m right here?” Her eyes dart between us.

  “Yes, we do, but we care and want you to stay safe, so please don’t test either of us on this,” I say, pressing a soft kiss to her lips.

  “Fine,” she huffs on a heavy sigh, making her look so much younger than her thirty-two years.

  “Any problems, Joe, call me,” I say before reluctantly leaving my home.

  * * *

  “What do we have?”
I ask Craig who is waiting for me when I get out of my car.

  “A woman jogger stumbled across the body. She’s still in a state of shock.” He points to an ambulance and she’s sitting with a paramedic comforting her, with an oxygen mask on. Poor woman. No one should have to see what she’s seen, but unfortunately, it’s becoming an all too regular occurrence in the city.

  With that thought, my mind jumps to Maria and what she’s witnessed over the years. “Do we know the identity of the victim?”

  “Yes. Ross Jamieson.”

  I stare, wondering if I’ve heard him correctly. “As in Pete’s cousin?”

  “Yes. What are you thinking, Jack?”

  “You do know Pete is still the murderer in my books?”

  “Yes, and I agree with you. But why his cousin?”

  That question I don’t know the answer to, but I’m hoping we find out. “Only Pete knows the answer to that.”

  We walk through the park and I remind Craig that I want to speak to the woman before I leave. I hate all this. All this endless fighting, and over what? But I’m now thinking Pete is more dangerous than I first gave him credit for. He’s killed Tony and his own cousin, along with two men that work for him and Maria’s cousin, Leo. He’s threatened and attacked Maria, the one person he claims to love.

  He’s lost the plot.

  But why?

  What is the driving force behind his actions? Is it because he wants Maria? I already know the answer to that. He claims he loves her, but his actions aren’t those of love. A man in love wants to protect; to care for the woman in his life.

  That’s all I want to do; keep Maria safe and out of harm’s way.

  There’s a buzz of activity around the crime scene which has been taped off. Forensics are already here doing what they do best, so we stand out of the way while an officer brings us up to speed.

  I stand, deep in thought, looking around at our surroundings; another park. Where parents walk through with their kids on the school run. Where innocent children come to play. Pete has to slip up at some point. He can’t keep getting away with murder.

  I move away from Craig to call Giovanni. “Jack, what can I do for you?”

  “I’m working. I have another dead body.”

  “Where’s Maria?”

  “Still at mine, but Joe is with her.”

  “Okay. Is the body one of my men?”

  “No, it’s Ross Jamieson.”

  “What do you need from me?” he asks.

  “I’ll do whatever it takes to find Pete.”

  “Anything?”

  “Yes. I won’t have Maria living in fear. She’s been in that position before and I’m sure neither of us wants that again for her.”

  “No, I don’t. Let me make a few enquires. But you do know my way of making enquiries won’t be legal?”

  “I know, but I’ll keep you out of any investigation.”

  “That’s all I need to know.”

  We end the call. This goes against everything I’ve worked hard for in my career, but I won’t have Maria or anyone else fearful of Pete Jamieson. His cards are now well and truly marked. All his victims will get justice one way or another and I don’t care if he ends up behind bars or dead. Just out of Maria’s life will do for me.

  Even his own men must be wondering when they will be next, although, I’m not sure they’re aware it’s Pete doing the killing. They’re all completely unsuspecting of what’s going on in their own criminal circle. Or maybe the men that have been murdered suspected Pete of Tony’s death and that is why their lives came to a very abrupt end.

  Who is next on his hit list? It’s probably me considering he wants Maria all to himself.

  Pete Jamieson’s reign of terror throughout the city is going to come to an end. Preferably before the next murder takes place.

  Chapter Eleven

  Maria

  I thought I’d be fed up here at Jack’s after he left, leaving Joe to babysit me, but in all fairness, it’s not been as bad as I imagined. Joe took me out shopping, so when Jack finally gets home, he’ll find his fridge and cupboards fully stocked. Honestly, men living on their own are useless. He must live off takeaways and fast food. Not what a man in his position should be doing.

  Since being back, I’ve prepared everything for dinner and all it will take is ten minutes to cook when he gets here. Homemade fresh pasta with king prawns and some garlic bread. I asked Joe if he would have some dinner with us, but he declined, saying he didn’t want to intrude on our time together. I’ve tried pointing out more than once that he wouldn’t be, but he’s a stubborn man. From what I can gather, Joe is going back to stay at Lou’s house tonight. I think he’s worried that Pete might show up there and that scares me, although I do feel better knowing he’ll be there to look after Lou and the girls.

  Jack might not keep a lot of food in the house, but for a man living on his own, he keeps a tidy house. This place is spotless. In every room, there’s not a single thing out of place. There are more than a few subtle hints that a woman has lived here which has questions spinning around my head, because I don’t really know that much about him, whereas he knows everything there is to know about me. I’m sure he has reports after reports on me. My life since I married Tony has been well documented.

  Joe is downstairs watching Formula One. I have no interest in car racing, but he seems to be engrossed in it. I’m standing in the middle of Jack’s bedroom, wondering what to do, but my eyes keep going to the photo of the little girl at the side of his bed. This is the only picture of her in the house. Believe me, I’ve looked at all the pictures today. It’s funny the things that can be learned just from looking at a picture. There’s lots of Jack and his mum. They were obviously very close and I know he took her death hard.

  I step toward the picture and pick it up. She’s a beautiful little girl with bright blue eyes and blonde hair. I’m guessing, but I’d say in this one the girl is either two or three. Is it his daughter? I think so, although if it is, she must look more like her mum. Was he married? And if so, where are they? I put it back down. I’ll ask him; it’s the only way I’m going to know for sure. It’s obvious they don’t stay here. No kids’ toys lying around and no pretty pink bedroom for a little girl that would come to visit her dad.

  With nothing to do, I wander back downstairs. Joe is where I left him. Although, he is now sitting on the edge of the seat. I stare at him for a moment. “I know you’re there. Everything okay?” he asks, not even turning around.

  “Yes, everything is fine. I’ll be in the kitchen if you need me.” He nods, still watching the TV, and I leave him alone. I switch the kettle on to make a cup of tea then pick up my phone and type out a message to Lou.

  Me: Are you okay?

  I know we parted on good terms, but I still need to know we’re okay.

  Lou: Yes. I thought you’d be busy with your handsome man.

  Me: So did I. He had to go to work.

  My phone buzzes in my hand and I answer the incoming call from Lou. “Why? What’s wrong?” she asks.

  “A development in the case. Another dead body.”

  “Shit!”

  Something is wrong. I can hear it in her uneven tone. “Lou…”

  “Mark has had a lot of calls today from an unknown number, but when he answers it, whoever is on the other end hangs up. It’s been bugging him, but now with your revelation, I think it could be Pete.”

  “I’m not so sure. Wouldn’t Pete just call Mark if he’s back or ready to come out of hiding?”

  “I don’t think he’d call Mark. Let’s face it, we all know it was him that put you in hospital. He knows Mark is loyal to his family.”

  “Lou, if Pete is ready to make a nuisance of himself again, I think you and Mark should take the girls away on a holiday.”

  “I’m very much like you in the fact I don’t want to run away.”

  Stubborn woman.

  “I know that, but you have the girls to think about. The
y have to be your priority. They need to be kept safe and Mark needs to stay clear of Pete because Jack will bring him down eventually, and I don’t want Mark being brought down with him.” There’s a long pause and I already know my last statement has hit her hard.

  “I’ll speak to Mark.”

  “Lou, you and I both know he’ll do whatever it takes to keep you all safe. Let me know if you decide to go. It could even be an option to go to Giovanni’s villa. That’s somewhere Pete wouldn’t suspect. He would go looking at your villa in France.”

  “Let me talk to Mark first.” My brother’s villa is somewhere Mark will not want to go if he can help it, but I know he will put his family first because they mean the world to him.

  “Okay. I love you.”

  “Love you too,” she says, and we end our call. I finish making a cup of tea, then, opening the back door, I stare out into Jack’s back garden. More often than not, I’m finding that I hate the lifestyle I’m still in. My life would’ve been so much simpler if Tony and I had never started dating.

  “Maria, what’s wrong?” I turn, startled at Joe’s voice.

  “Mark has been getting phone calls from a withheld number today, but when he answers, whoever it is hangs up. Now Lou thinks it must be Pete because I’ve told her there’s been another body found.”

  “I think she’s right. Look at the type of man Pete is. There was no way he was just going to disappear into thin air and that would be that. He’s been biding his time, hatching a plot. Deciding what his next move should be.”

  “And what do you think it will be?”

  “I wish I knew because then we’d be a step in front of him and I’m sure Jack wishes the same.”

  “Joe, I hate this.”

  “I know you do, but hopefully it will all be over soon.” His last sentence does nothing to convince me. “Now that the racing is finished, we should discuss the clubs and when you intend going back to work.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I need to organise a few things and I won’t be leaving you to go anywhere alone now.”