As the paramedics wheel him from the building, I give instructions to one of my detectives that he ensures the building is locked and made safe as soon as they are all finished, before walking outside into the fresh air. I stop at the door, taking a deep breath and thanking God that Maria never came here. Most of the street is cordoned off; a few reporters and cameramen stand further along the street.
Well, they won’t get an interview from me. Not today.
PC Richards is talking to Craig, and I approach them. I have to remind myself to be cautious in what I say. My relationship with Maria isn’t common knowledge, although I have told the superintendent because I didn’t want to be facing disciplinary action. His reaction was that we’ll speak about this after all the cases connected with my investigation are closed. It surprised me. I really thought he’d pull me from the investigation.
A disturbance in the crowd of people grabs my attention. My heart starts racing when I see Giovanni’s black Land Rover abandoned in the street. He and Mark are with a couple of officers.
“Craig!” I call out and point in their direction.
“Shit!”
We both rush over and relieve the officers so I can find out what the hell is going on. “Where the fuck is my sister?”
“At the estate. One of my officers dropped her off about an hour ago. Why are you both here?” I ask with concern and confusion.
“Because we got a text from her saying she needed us here.”
I shake my head and try to come up with a reasonable explanation. My mind is blank. “Are you sure it was Maria’s phone?” Giovanni lifts his, scrolls to the message, and shows me. “Something is wrong. Maria didn’t send that message. I don’t know how but that hasn’t come from her. Craig, can you cover for me?”
“I’d rather come with you.”
Giovanni stares at me. “Do you think he’s there?” I nod. “Fuck.” Mark’s jaw is clenched tight and I know he’s worried about his family. He’s not the only one. “What the hell are we standing here for?” Giovanni and Mark get in the car.
“Craig, take my car. I’m going with them. Give me twenty minutes and then call it in and bring officers.”
He shakes his head. “This goes against everything we’ve worked for.”
“It does, but it gives me a chance to kill this fucker before you all get there. Please!”
“Go. Just go, before I change my mind. Stay safe and do what you need to do.”
I dash into the back of Giovanni’s car, wishing I was driving, until he turns out of the street and puts his foot down, swerving in and out the traffic, probably doing over eighty. I couldn’t give a fuck as long as he gets us there quicker than the half hour it usually takes, and he doesn’t kill anyone. Mark’s phone rings and he sighs as he answers it, putting it on speaker.
“Where are you? We need you here.” Lou is crying and we can hear the girls are screaming in the background, but I hear another voice trying to comfort them. My heart falls when I make out Teressa’s voice. Where’s Maria?
“We’re on our way. Are the kids okay?”
“Yes and no. Maria saved Rebecca. God… I don’t know what to say. He had a gun to Rebecca’s head. I know he would’ve used it. He was prepared to do more than that. He spoke about her innocence. Please, how long until you get here?” She cries hard.
“Soon,” Giovanni tells her. “Where is Maria now?”
“She handed herself over to him to protect my girls. She saved them, but at what cost? They’re in the stables.”
“Fuck!” I roar.
“Lou, listen to me,” Giovanni says, his voice softer. He’s trying to get her to calm down. “You and Teressa take the girls into my office. Lock the door and you stay there until one of us comes and gets you. I mean it. You don’t open that door unless you hear our voices.”
“Okay,” she stutters. “Please get to her in time.”
“We will.”
Mark tells Lou he loves her before ending the call.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Maria
“What do you want?” I ask, trying in vain to hide the nervous tone of my voice as he pulls me down to the bottom of the stables. The horses have all settled down now the shouting and crying has stopped. My eyes drift to Cookie and I’m filled with sadness for what the girls have witnessed today. They’re so young. They shouldn’t be seeing adults with guns in their hands.
“You. You’re all I ever wanted, but he fucking had you and I never got the time of day, then that stupid detective stepped straight into your bed.”
I hear the venom in his voice. The anger. As though it’s all my fault. “You never gave me any indication that you wanted me,” I say, my voice softer than it has been because I know all the shouting in the world isn’t going to help me, not now. But I can get through whatever he decides to do to me knowing that I’ve done all I can to protect my nieces.
“You should’ve known how I felt about you.” He turns me toward him, his hands grabbing onto my shoulders as he pushes me back until I hit something hard behind me. He steps closer. “It should’ve been me, not Tony that you married.”
Right now, I’m wishing I had never married Tony because then this animal wouldn’t be in my life.
“Would my life have been any different?” I ask, looking directly at him and not allowing my eyes to wander.
“Yes. I would never have strayed from you. I would’ve appreciated what I had at home. He never did and I hated how he treated you. He had it all, yet he still wanted more.”
“Is that why you killed him?”
“One of the reasons.” I push against him, all my anger spilling out. Pete laughs, grabbing my hands, and pulls them roughly behind my back. “You promised you wouldn’t fight me. Do I need to go to the house and drag an innocent child here and make you watch as I take what I want from her?”
“No!” I scream as my body sags against the post.
“I thought that would change your mind.” He grabs some rope that’s lying over the stall and ties my hands together to the post behind me. All my fight left me at his last statement. My shoulders droop. “This is your fault, Maria. You chose to do things the hard way.”
“Tony was your friend. When did things change so much between you? He treated you like a brother.”
“Yes, but he treated you like a piece of crap on his shoe. It all changed for me watching him with you. I had a feeling he had been abusing you. I couldn’t stand the thought of him hurting you.”
I want to laugh at his words, but I don’t. “But you’re hurting me.”
“That’s to keep you safe.”
I lift my head, blinking rapidly, and watch as he paces before me. “What about Colette? What the hell had she done to deserve what you did to her?”
“She was carrying on behind your back with him. Making a mockery of you. She told everyone about her fucking baby with that bastard. It’s funny how things have turned out. Tony trusted me completely.”
“Of course he did. You never gave him any reason to doubt you.”
“That key I was given at James’s office, it was the key to a safe in your house. I was to ensure Colette and the child were provided for, should anything ever happen to him.” He stops before me, his eyes lingering on my body, a strange grin on his face. If I had thought Tony was the devil, I was wrong. So bloody wrong. I had forgotten all about that key.
“So, what else did you get from Tony’s death?” I ask, because I know there has to be more.
“You might’ve got the legitimate businesses, but I got the rest when you walked away from it. All the cash from the drugs and the girls is mine. And I’ll be wanting the cash back that I put through the clubs.”
I shake my head, taking it all in. Does he really think he’ll get that back? Does he really think he’ll get away with everything he’s done? All the murders. Leo.
“Why did you kill Leo?”
He turns away from me. “As a warning to Giovanni to stay away.”
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“But he was innocent. He never did anything to you.”
He spins around fast, takes a step toward me, and grabs my face in his hands. His mouth is close to mine and that smirk on his face turns my stomach. “He was innocent, that’s why. I had to let Giovanni know I wasn’t someone he could mess with and get away with it.”
I think back to the story my brother shared about McGovern’s young sister. “So, Leo’s death was down to my brother stopping you and Tony raping McGovern’s sister?”
His hands tighten on my jaw and I can see the anger in his eyes. “You think you know everything, don’t you? Yes, it was a warning not to mess with me.”
“But he did mess with you,” I say through gritted teeth. “Why James? Why kill your own men? Your family?”
“Why the hell do you want to know?” he shouts in my face. “Do you really want to know?”
I nod, unable to speak.
“James, because after Tony, he was the only person who knew everything about me. The crimes, dodgy dealings. He was the only person that could interfere with my future. He had everything on file, every last detail he kept and I know he was getting prepared to use it against me. Hand it over to your boyfriend.”
My eyes lower to the ground as I think about Jack. I’m hoping Lou has called for help, but a part of me hopes he doesn’t get here in time because Pete has a gun and I can’t watch on as he uses it.
“What about the others? It seems so senseless,” I say, hoping to change the subject from Jack because I can see his anger toward the man I love, and I’ll do whatever I can to protect him.
“There was nothing senseless about any of the killings. There was a reason behind every one of them, but that shouldn’t concern you, not now. Not when the only thing you should be thinking about is pleasing me.” He presses his lips to mine. Tears fill my eyes and I close them to stop my tears from falling. Bile rises in my throat and I know that I’m powerless to stop him from doing and taking whatever he wants from me. “Come on, Maria. Don’t pretend to be shy,” he says softly. “This can’t be one way. It’s a two player game, unless…”
He pulls at my clothes, his hand squeezing at my breast. He presses his body to mine, and dear God, I feel his erection pressing into my stomach. My thoughts now turn to the girl that night in the club, and I know how she felt when she gave up the fight because that’s how I feel now.
“Italians. Why?” I ask, trying to buy myself some time.
“For Tony?” He laughs. “Because, if it went wrong, no one would suspect me. All blame would fall on Giovanni. It’s no secret he hated Tony. I could’ve got rid of two for the price of one.” So, he had wanted to frame my brother for my husband’s death. This gets more fucked up by the minute. Can Pete even hear himself?
“Now, where were we?” He lowers his hands and starts to unfasten my jeans. I wriggle against him, not wanting this. “You promised not to fight.”
“I fucking lied. I hate you. Even if you take from me, I’ll never be yours. I could never love someone like you.” I spit the words at him. He reacts instantly, his hand slapping hard across my face. Pain radiates through it, taking my mind off what he’s about to do. He stops and laughs then reaches over to a wooden shelf. Quite the Boy Scout, he’s very prepared. He takes a roll of tape, ripping some off. I shake my head from side to side, yelling, but that doesn’t stop him. He puts it over my mouth, gagging me. Preventing me from saying another word.
He takes a small step backward, his dirty eyes dragging slowly over my body, and laughs. His hands reach out and he lowers my jeans. I kick at him over and over, but still his laughter rings out around me. He grabs the spade and hits my leg. The pain burns, but being tied to this post stops me falling. My eyes close because there’s nothing I can do to stop this.
His laughter stops and I hear the screeching of tyres. My heart pounds harder in my chest. I open my eyes. “I’ll be back,” Pete says, pressing a kiss to my check. He quickly walks to the other end of the stables and waits behind the door.
Dear God, please keep my loved ones safe. That’s all I ask of you.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Jack
Dread engulfs me as I look around. There’s no security.
Giovanni puts his foot back down and the car speeds toward the house, but he drives around the back, bringing it to a screeching halt. Mark races out of the car. I dive out, chasing after him. I’m currently the only one armed. “Mark, wait,” I call out.
“No! He’ll fucking kill her if we wait.” He’s about ten metres in front of me. He pushes the door open to the stables.
Bang!
Bang!
No!
I try to compose myself, think of all my training, but it’s all gone hearing those two shots when Maria is in there. My footsteps pound heavily in the gravel underfoot. Pete knows we’re here; there’s no longer the element of surprise. I pull the gun from my trousers and slow down as I get to the door. I check to make sure it’s loaded then lock it back into place.
I hear Giovanni coming toward the stables. I hold my hand up, indicating for him to stay back. I throw my phone to him. “Call Craig. See where they are.” Slowly, I step inside, unsure of what I’m about to see.
Mark is lying on the floor, eyes opened, but breathing heavily and there’s blood everywhere, but at least he’s still alive. I turn, hearing a muffled cry.
A thousand memories flood my mind of our time together. She’s there, tied to one of the posts and gagged, and although battered and bruised, she’s alive. I’m ignoring the fact that her clothes are torn and her jeans have been lowered. I’m trying not to think about what that bastard has put her through already. I want to go to her, but something stops me.
Movement behind me.
Instinct takes over and, slowly, I turn.
“You won’t want her now. I’m going to keep her. She’ll have her uses,” Pete snarls, looking pleased with himself.
Fucking bastard.
He stands before me and I launch myself at him, throwing the first punch. “I’m going to fucking kill you.” I grab him by the shoulders, throwing him against the wall. The gun in my hand is now aimed at his head. He laughs.
He fucking laughs in my face.
“You won’t pull that trigger.”
He doesn’t know me then.
He kicks out, causing me to slip. Pete grabs something. I try to pull his feet, but again, he kicks me, this time in my stomach.
Pain spreads quickly through my body and my eyes close. Another loud bang rings out around me. I lift my gun and fire in the direction I think he is.
“Fuck.” I hear his muffled cry.
Another whack, this time to my head. I fire the gun again, hoping and praying for the best as stars shine brightly around me. Heavy footsteps cross the ground and all I can do is hope that Giovanni goes straight to his sister. When I hear her scream, I smile, knowing he’ll take care of her.
I feel the softness of her fingers against my skin. I open my eyes and I’m met with a beautiful angel. “Jack, stay with me. Stay with me. I need you.”
There’s noise. So much noise. Sirens and crying.
Maria is crying and there’s nothing I can do to help ease her pain as darkness claims me.
Epilogue
Maria
The grass is soft underfoot from all the rain we’ve had over the last few days. Today, the sun is shining, but it’s not doing anything to help lighten my mood. My footsteps are slow using this damn stick as I walk toward the mound of fresh soil with flowers laid at the side. All these flowers and here I am, bringing more.
It’s early morning. No one else is in sight. Only the sounds of a new day spin in the air around me. As I close the distance between me and my destination, my gaze drifts to the headstone on the other side. Tony’s.
The root of all the evil that has plagued our family.
I draw in a long steady breath and clutch the flowers tight to my chest. So much anger floods my veins.
Life is cruel and unfair.
Why him? He had so much to live for.
I sink to my knees, not even caring about the mess my clothes will be in. It shouldn’t be him. It should be me in there. Words can’t describe the constant pain in my chest knowing that, because of me, he’s gone and nothing in this world or the next can bring him back to the family that loves him.
“Why him?” I scream, looking up to the sky. A small robin comes into my view and settles on the grass near me. I watch and it chirps happily. It doesn’t seem to be bothered that I’m sitting here crying my eyes out.
A hand touches my shoulder. I turn, and I’m met with my own sadness reflected on his face. I offer him a fake smile. One I know he’ll see through.
“Maria, let’s get you back to Giovanni’s,” he says softly, taking my hand and pulling me back to my feet.
“I hate him.” I spit the words, looking at Tony’s grave. “If he had never brought Pete Jamieson into our lives, we’d all be happy. The girls would have their dad. This is all my fault.”
Jack pulls me to him, engulfing me in his arms, holding me close, but not even his touch makes me feel comfortable and content. He rests his chin on my shoulder. My eyes are on the flowers I hold tightly to my chest. The girls have made these their favourite flowers; it seemed fitting I brought some with me today.
He turns me in his arms. “This isn’t your fault. None of it. Lou doesn’t blame you. You need to stop this.”
“I can’t,” I sob against him. “The girls are going to grow up hating me for what they’ve lost.”
“Enough. Come on. Everyone is worried about you.” He releases his grip of me and I lay the flowers down and say a small prayer before he takes me by the hand and we walk slowly through the cemetery. Joe is standing beside Jack’s car, his smile weak. Everything he’s been through lately, and still he’s here for me. For our family. Joe is family. Even my brother has accepted the tight circle that surrounds me.
Love and Truth Page 20
