by Starling,Amy
“Just leave it there in the main room,” he pointed. “Would you like a beverage? I have a wonderful selection of wines. Remember how we used to drink chardonnay together on the patio?”
“I'd rather not. Here's your damn safe.”
His greed ran out, and he knelt down to check out his bounty. But when he spotted the drill hole in the dial, he scowled.
“You've opened it.”
I said nothing, just waited for him to make the next move. Cursing to himself, he swung open the door and scooped the money-filled envelopes onto the floor.
As he counted the money, I prayed he didn't mention the ledger. He didn't, but his face did get steadily redder.
“Is this all there was?” He glared and thumbed through hundred-dollar bills. “I know you took a sizable chunk to purchase those drugs – which I will be keeping as compensation for your theft.”
“It's all,” I lied. “No more money. I gave what was left to you.”
I could tell he didn't believe me. He began muttering to himself and stuffing the money in a big bag.
“Barely two hundred thousand? No, there should have been much more than that. He must have hidden some of it elsewhere.” His eyes narrowed. “Perhaps he gave it to his little girlfriend.”
“What are you talking about? He didn't give Melody anything.”
Victor circled me like the shark he was. “I think you know more than you're letting on, dear. Who didn't give her anything, hmm?”
“Well, Freddy, of course. She doesn't have anything, I assure you. She's alone, scared, and living in a shitty apartment with no money after his house burned down.”
“You're a clever woman, Madison. More so than I thought at first.” His jaw clenched. “You're also quite the liar.”
“What...?”
“Earlier, you assured me you hadn't been to her apartment. How would you know where she lived if you hadn't?”
Oops.
“You were there. You're the reason my squad couldn't locate the bomb – because you took it.” He thrust his finger in my face. “What did you hope to gain by doing that?”
“What do you think? If they found the bomb, you would have made a show of it. Blamed Brett and my brother for it.”
He seemed to relax for a moment. “Your brother... Charlie, wasn't it? Amazing how he suddenly shows up after so many years. I must wonder where he has been.”
“Your lapdog Harvey was behind that,” I snapped. “He framed him and had him thrown in a Mexican prison for years, all because he sold his son the drugs that killed him.”
“A tragic story,” Victor muttered.
Alex told me to keep my cool, but now, faced with the man who'd caused so much pain and trouble for so many people, how could I?
“You've been helping Harvey for years, haven't you? You changed police records to protect his reputation.”
He raised his eyebrow. “You've been quite the little snoop, haven't you? Yes, I did use my position as chief to alter a few details here and there. Harvey couldn't stand knowing his son was an addict. It was as if he thought by changing the police reports, perhaps the truth would change, too.”
“What I don't get is why. Why would you go through that for him? It was so you could blackmail him, wasn't it?”
He hauled the bag of money over his shoulder and started off toward his office.
“It was a mutually beneficial relationship.”
“You gave him the names of people involved with his son's death, so he could get his revenge.”
He shrugged. “What he did with that information was none of my business.”
“Bullshit! He wanted to take out anyone who hurt his kid, and you knew it. You let it happen. You let him start those fires. How could you?”
“The story of the scary serial arsonist.” He grinned. “Makes for a good headline, doesn't it? Besides, what do I care if Harvey takes out some useless criminals? That is our job, isn't it – to punish those scum for their crimes.”
“In a court of law, not by burning their houses down!”
In his office, Victor spilled the stacks of money on his desk. He then began fanning carefully through each one, as if looking for something hidden between the bills.
“To be honest, I haven't given Harvey any leads in years now. He loathes drugs, and he's something of a vigilante. When he found out the city's meth and crack problems went far deeper than he originally thought, I suppose he snapped.” He picked up the next stack. “I've actually been worrying about him for a while now. I never expected him to attack Ventura himself.”
“You and Freddy were working together. Had been for a long time, hadn't you?”
For a moment he looked surprised, but said nothing.
“That's why you let him run his drug ring all this time, because you were benefiting from it. He was paying you hush money in order to keep the police off his back.”
Victor paled. It was unusual to get under his skin. That's how I knew I was on the right track.
“How did you...” He waved it off. “Never mind. Yes, it's true we had something of an arrangement. Harvey, of course, had no idea. It was all kept very secret, very quiet. Somehow, he found out – and made Freddy his next target.”
I felt for the microphone on my shirt when Victor wasn't looking. How much more recording did they need? I thought the FBI would have made an entrance by now.
Maybe they needed something bigger, something that would put him away for life.
Yes, that was it. I had to reveal who he really was.
“Anyway, if you've had enough asking nosy questions, please see yourself out. I expect you to be at work tomorrow, bright and early.”
“No, I do have one more question.” I smiled. “Just curious – exactly how many names did you have before you became Victor Patterson?”
He stammered for an answer. It sure was fun making him sweat for once.
“I don't... How did you...” He ruffled his graying hair. “Goodness, you surprise me, Madison. To think, I loved you and never knew you were so scheming and manipulative.”
“Oh, please. You've never loved anybody in your life.” I tried to hold back my disgust for him. “You're a deranged sociopath. Whenever one of your criminal schemes goes belly up, you run away and start a new identity for yourself instead of owning up to what you've done.”
I had him stunned speechless. Alex probably was none too pleased, but the satisfaction of ruining his day was just too addictive and delicious to stop.
“Why are you so shocked, really?” I continued. “Harvey destroyed my home and ruined my family's life. Of course I'd do some digging into what happened – and as if by miracle, my search led me to the truth about you.”
He regained his composure and tried to put his hand on my back. I slapped him away.
“I want to know who you really are... Nick.”
“Shut up,” he hissed. “Don't call me that. Nick is dead. He died long ago. Shot by those dirty police who only wanted a piece of dad's action.”
Oh, boy. Talking about his self in the third person was a pretty good sign Victor had lost his marbles completely.
“Tell me about you and Freddy. You were the one who got him out of jail after he killed those women. You arranged it all: the hand-selected jurors, the dirty lawyer, probably even a crooked judge to top it all off.”
“Dad helped,” he said, eyes darting here and there as if he'd slipped into another personality. “He knew people. He worked with Freddy when he was just a kid. I knew if we got him out of prison, we'd have him by the balls for life.”
“So how did he come to start up a drug empire?”
“He's just one of many working for dad around the country. I kept him on a leash and protected him from the law at the same time. In return, he paid me a cut of his profits.”
So that explained the ledger.
“But then I realized the guy was shorting me. Worse yet, I found he was working with some other two-bit gangsters behind my back. Be
trayal doesn't go over well in the Miriani family.”
His words had malice in them, a hint of something ominous.
“What did you do to him?”
“I did what we'd do to any traitor.” He smiled. “His girlfriend thought he'd gone away for a week on business. In reality, he's taking a long nap at the bottom of Lake Waco.”
I stumbled backward. “You... You killed him?”
Victor said nothing, only began counting his money again.
I fought the instinct to run for my life before he tried to take me out too. I'd known Victor was a shady bastard, but a murderer?
Well, he was part of a gang family, so it wasn't much of a surprise. But then how many others had he killed who got in his way?
Maybe he was telling me all this because I was going to be next.
Damn it, Alex, where are you guys?
“Of course, I had no idea Harvey was plotting to take him out too – only he chose arson because he's too weak to shoot a man in the head.”
So, Harvey set the fire thinking it was Freddy inside when it was really his brother James. By the time the house burned down, Freddy was likely already dead.
“That should teach assholes like him not to steal from me.” He slammed his fist into the wall. “It'll show dad, too. He always said I was too easy on people. Not anymore.”
“You've lost it, Victor,” I said. “When they find the body, they're going to figure out it was you who killed him.”
“When who finds the body? You forget I'm the police chief, dear. If I want to send an innocent man to jail for my crimes, I can. Evidence can be planted. Judges can be bought. I have the power here.”
“Who are you gonna blame this on? Harvey?”
“He's the perfect scapegoat. A tragic tale of revenge gone wrong, a grieving father who only wanted to avenge his son. Freddy manufactured the drugs that killed his boy; Harvey has a perfect motive for wanting him dead.” He relaxed. “Yes, and the fire he set proves that all the more. He dug his own grave this time.”
The click of a chambered bullet made my hair stand on end. I thought at first it was Victor, then realized the sound came from behind.
“You'd better watch what you say,” muttered Harvey, “or it'll be you in the grave, not me.”
Harvey had finally gone off the deep end. He had his pistol pointed at Victor, his hands shaking madly, his face sweaty and his hair ruffled. His gaze shifted from Victor to me.
“How nice of you to join our party,” Victor said. “Now put the gun down. It'd be rather foolish of you to shoot me.”
“And if I don't, you're going to make sure I go away for life.”
“You're an arsonist, an attempted murderer. You deserve to spend time behind bars.”
Harvey sputtered. “I've had enough of you pushing me around. Enough of being under your boot for years. I'm done.”
Victor did not seem upset. “What is it you want?”
“I want the money – all of it. And find yourself another scapegoat.”
Okay, why the hell wasn't the FBI raiding the place? There was a man with a gun in here, and another who just admitted to murder. What were they waiting for?
“But I need you, Harvey. Without you, I'll have no one to blame for these horrible crimes.”
“Blame Charlie. He deserves it,” he said bitterly. “Or perhaps Madison's new boyfriend, Brett.”
“Don't you dare,” I snapped. “They did nothing wrong. It was you who ruined our lives back then.”
Harvey waved the gun in my face. “Tell me something. What is it you see in him, huh? What's he got that I don't?”
Holy crap. Did Harvey... Did he have a thing for me?
“I've wanted you for years, but you chose Victor instead, oblivious to my advances. And now Silver. Well, you know what? I don't take rejection well.”
“Don't be foolish,” Victor said with a laugh. “Why would Madison choose you over a man like myself? I have more to offer her than you ever could.”
While they argued, I tapped on the microphone in hopes it would get their attention. Nothing.
“I want the money and my name cleared.”
“Not happening.”
Harvey broke into a creepy smile. “Of course, you would protest. You always had been a stubborn ass. But did you expect me to come unprepared?”
He pulled something from his pocket. It looked very similar to the detonator he had at the police dinner...
“You're bluffing. You couldn't have put a bomb in my house,” Victor said, chuckling. “The security on this place is top-notch.”
“I'm pretty good with electronics. All it takes is a few snips of the right wires, and...”
What if he wasn't kidding? If there was a bomb right here in this office, we'd all be blown to pieces.
The thought of it saddened me more than scared me. I would never see my family again. Never be held by Brett again.
“Last chance. Give me what I want.”
Victor glared back. “No.”
Harvey pushed the trigger. Powerful explosions shook the house, one after another like a row of firecrackers going off. The force was so strong that it knocked me to the floor.
Chunks of the ceiling fell; a chandelier crashed to the ground. Glass shattered all around us and flames erupted in every direction.
But not the office, thank God.
Harvey stood there calmly while Victor howled.
“You son of a bitch! You've ruined my house! Do you have any idea how much this cost?” He gathered the stacks of money in a hurry, though much of it fell to the floor.
“Consider our partnership over.”
Harvey turned to walk out the door. Victor grabbed a gun from his desk and fired, the bullet narrowly missing and lodging a hole in the wall.
“You're not getting out of here alive,” he screamed. “Rabid dogs need to be put down.”
Another bullet barely missed me as Harvey ran for it. I bolted, too, panicked thoughts racing through my mind as I tried to figure an escape route.
Victor's house was a maze of hallways, two floors, and a dozen rooms. Harvey walked with purpose toward the kitchen, as if he knew exactly where he was going. That's right; he likely had this whole thing planned, including an escape route.
I didn't want to follow him, especially with Victor shooting from behind, but it might be my only chance at getting out.
He must have set multiple bombs. Flames already filled several rooms and had burned everything in them to ash. Already, the smoke clouds made it impossible to see my path, and my lungs ached for fresh air.
“Harvey!” I screamed. “You're crazy. You're going to kill us all.”
“Victor has to die,” he yelled back over his shoulder as he jogged down the stairs. “As for you, well... You're an unfortunate victim, I do agree. But if I can't hurt Charlie directly, I have to find another way.”
“Killing me because of your son won't bring him back. It won't make things right. I had nothing to do with his death, and Charlie didn't mean to –”
“I'm sorry, Mad. Shame it had to end this way.”
Back there somewhere, Victor was gaining on us. He had lost it and was now firing shots randomly at shadows, yelling at the illusions produced by billowing smoke.
Damn it, why did they have to take my gun from me? Where were they, anyway?
Harvey sprinted around the corner in the direction of Victor's exercise room. It had a door leading outside to the pool area; he probably planned to get out there. I was going to do the same.
“You're not leaving me here to die,” I growled.
But when we reached the exercise room, there was an unwelcome surprise. The wall had collapsed, blocking the exit to the outside completely. When Harvey saw it, his face fell.
“It must have triggered early,” he muttered. “I didn't mean to...”
I grabbed Harvey and shook him. “How do we get out of here? What have you done?”
He sighed. “There may be no other w
ay. I strategically placed the bombs so that upon explosion, all exits would be blocked. That includes windows and doors.”
“Well, I'm not going to just stand here and burn to death,” I said, suddenly feeling very light-headed and dizzy.
I turned to look elsewhere for an escape route and came face to face with Victor. When our eyes met, I thought he'd shoot me. Instead, he trained the gun on Harvey.
“You,” he snapped. “You will suffer for this. I'm going to throw your useless corpse in the fire until there's nothing left of you. But I won't stop there, oh, no. I know where your family lives. Your brother. Your parents. You might have lost your wife and son, but there's more I can take yet.”
The smoke was too much, and I fell to the floor. My vision blurred.
Victor pulled the trigger.
Chapter 28 - Brett
It was another slow night shift. Jayce and Billy played pool to pass the time. Carter was cooking us pancakes, but the smell made my stomach queasy.
“It's not right,” I said to Charlie. “I should be there with Madison. She needs me. Can't those FBI idiots see that?”
“Maybe. I'm just glad they let us off the hook. You realize how much trouble we could have been in? Pays to have friends in high places.”
Something felt wrong. I never had been an intuitive guy, but I just got this awful feeling, like their whole plan would fail and Maddie would get hurt – or worse.
Carter handed me a plate of pancakes, but I waved him away.
“I can't eat right now, man. Feel like I'm going to throw up.”
“I don't blame you. The FBI; wow.” He took a bite of his own food. “So you really care about her, don't you?”
“She's the most awesome woman I ever met. If something happened to her, I... What would I do?” I shook my head. “I think I love her.”
Jayce put down the pool stick and sat with us. “Have you told her yet?”
“No. Figured she'd call me crazy.”
“Maybe she feels the same about you.”
Maybe so. I hoped so.
“When all this crap is over,” I said, “I'll tell her. I dunno what the future holds, but right now, I don't wanna be with another girl again.”