by Codi Gary
“So why accuse Gabe?”
“Because Kyle said he wouldn’t stop until I agreed to press charges,” Ellie said, her voice shaky with tears. “And he just kept kicking me and screaming, and I wanted it to stop—”
Ellie’s voice broke as she released a choked sob. Unable to resist her sister’s pain, Caroline reached out and pulled her into her arms.
Kyle. Everything toxic in her life and the people she cared about came back to him. That was about to change, though. Kyle couldn’t get away with hurting her family. For trying to imprison Gabe and go after her father. Caroline’s body shook so hard with rage, she was afraid Ellie would think she was crying. She wasn’t crying, though. She wasn’t scared or cowed, not anymore. It was time for her to fight back, no matter what kind of shitstorm Kyle tried to rain down on her. This time, he was going to pay.
Pulling away from her sister, she looked into Ellie’s red-rimmed eyes. “Okay, Ellie. You and I are going to the police station.”
“Caroline, I can’t,” she said, her voice rising. “He’ll kill me.”
“No, he won’t, Ellie,” Caroline said, standing up. “Because we’re going to file charges and make sure he never gets out of prison. As it is, we have him on several cases of assault, extortion, rape—”
“But how? How are you going to prove what he did?”
“I’m going to have something for the police,” Caroline said, standing up and heading for the door. “You’re going to have to admit why Kyle was blackmailing you.”
“I don’t think I can do that! I could go to prison,” Ellie said.
Caroline resisted the urge to walk back and slap her sister. Reminding herself that Ellie was a victim and needed support, she said, “Sometimes, part of growing up is facing your mistakes and coming clean.”
“Yeah, I know,” Ellie said, starting down the stairs. “At least if it all comes out, I won’t live the rest of my life with the what-ifs hanging over my head, you know?”
“I know exactly what you mean.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
“Revenge is a dish best served cold . . . and with a slice of ha-ha, sucker!”
—Miss Know It All
CAROLINE MADE ELLIE wait in the car as she walked up to her father’s door, but she didn’t wait for Teresa to answer before walking inside.
“Caroline, what on earth . . .” Teresa started, coming around a corner.
“Sorry, Teresa, I just need something from my old room.”
“But all your things are in storage!” she called after her as Caroline climbed the stairs.
“It’s okay,” she said, going through the second door on the right. Teresa wasn’t kidding—all of her stuff was gone—but she was a little surprised that her father had left the room bare. What should have been a room of nostalgia and warmth was nothing more than four white walls protecting an awful secret.
Going into her closet, she knelt and pulled up the loose floorboard she had found as a child. Hidden beneath was a treasure box of keepsakes she hadn’t wanted her sisters rifling through, and . . .
A plastic bag with a knee-length dress, and her underwear from that long-ago night.
Her father’s voice came from behind. “What do you have there, Caroline?”
She looked over her shoulder at him. He was standing in the middle of the room.
Caroline stood up slowly, the keepsake box in one hand and the bag of clothes in the other.
“Just some trinkets,” Caroline said.
“And in the bag?” he said, pointing.
“This? This is leverage against Kyle,” Caroline said. “Did you know he’s been blackmailing Ellie for months? Beating her?”
By the affronted look on his face, she guessed not.
“Well, we’re going to the police station. Ellie told the police yesterday that Gabe assaulted her—Kyle wouldn’t stop hurting her until she agreed. Then he drove her there to make her statement.”
“Why would he go to all the trouble to frame your boyfriend?”
“I don’t know, wounded pride?” Caroline said, unsure herself. “Gabe worked Kyle over a bit when he found out Kyle had come by the apartment and threatened me.”
Her father looked between her and the bag. “When will you be going to the police?”
“Now. Why?” she asked, hating that she was still so suspicious of her own father.
“Because before it’s leaked to the media, I want to cut all ties with the man.”
Caroline laughed bitterly. “Still looking out for the family name?”
Edward Willis hobbled forward. Leaning heavily on his cane, he placed his other hand on her shoulder. “No. I don’t want anyone thinking that I don’t believe you.”
Relief swept through her, and she said, “I’ll be going as soon as I get the rest of the dirt you have on Kyle.”
“I’ll get it now,” her father said, limping out of the room.
For the first time in twelve years, her heart warmed toward her father, but she didn’t have time to dwell on that.
She had some business to take care of.
“BUT ELLIE, YOU came in here yesterday, crying that Gabe Moriarty was the man who hurt you.”
Sam’s slow uptake was getting on Caroline’s last nerve, and she snapped, “Listen to what she’s saying, Sam. Kyle Jenner beat and blackmailed her for months and when she refused to accuse Gabe, he beat her some more. To get him to stop, she accused Gabe, but now, she’s recanting.”
Sam glared at Caroline and then leaned in to whisper to Ellie, “You can tell me if she’s pressuring you into this.”
“Oh, for the love of God! Are you stupid or just being a pain in the ass on purpose?” Caroline shouted.
Sam’s already ruddy face darkened, and his shoulders straightened. “You better watch the way you talk to me, Caroline, or you’ll join your boyfriend.”
Caroline opened her mouth to retort, but Ellie stopped her by saying, “It’s true, Sam. Gabe didn’t hurt me. I hardly know him. Here.”
Ellie pulled out her phone, scrolling through. When she found what she was looking for, she handed it to Sam. “Here is a video of Kyle kicking me. You only see him for a second, but you can hear his voice on the recording.”
Sam seemed uneasy as she hit play.
“You want to say no to me? I’ll teach you what happens to stupid sluts who say no to me.”
The sounds of blows against flesh sickened Caroline, and despite her anger with Ellie, she pulled her baby sister into her arms.
“I’m sorry I didn’t protect you from him,” Caroline whispered.
Ellie’s shoulders shook as Caroline rubbed her back.
When the video was over, Sam set the phone down and said, “I’ll have a car pick up Kyle Jenner at his home.”
Tears burned Caroline’s own eyes. “You have to release Gabe.”
Sam held up his hand. “Once I have Kyle in custody, I’ll release Moriarty.”
“Fine,” Caroline said, handing him the packet her father had given her.
“What’s this?
“Leverage, in case he’s uncooperative.”
GABE SAT UP on the cot, waiting. He could have sworn he heard Caroline shouting, but it must have been his imagination. Wishful thinking.
What do you expect, man? You cut her off. You deserve it if she lets you rot.
Maybe he had overreacted to her taking off on him, but he hadn’t been wrong about the gravity of her sister’s accusations. Whatever her reasons, Ellie had ruined any chance he had for getting his business off the ground here. People wouldn’t trust him, even if Caroline got her to admit she lied. And even then, Caroline likely wouldn’t take his side over her sister’s.
It shouldn’t surprise him that the minute he tasted a moment of happiness, it was yanked away.
Karma still must have a hold of his short hairs.
“THIS IS BULLSHIT!” Kyle yelled from the interrogation room. “I want my lawyer.”
“Sure thing, boss,” Sa
m said, standing up. Caroline stood on the other side of the mirrored window, watching Kyle twist. It would have been sweeter if Sam had left the cuffs on him, but since he’d been cooperative, Sam hadn’t felt the need.
As Sam came out the door, Caroline said, “I want to talk to him.”
“He asked for a lawyer, Caroline, so we’re just going to let him stew for a minute.”
“I’m not a cop, Sam. I can talk to him all I want,” Caroline said, trying to walk past him.
“There are procedures and rules,” Sam argued.
“I just need some time to get him talking. He’s an arrogant son of a bitch, and I know, if I can just get him riled, he’ll hang himself,” Caroline said, touching his arm. “If he had hurt your sister or wife, what would you tell her?”
Sam blustered for half a second before grumbling, “One minute.”
“Thank you.”
Before he could change his mind, she stepped into the room, her stomach tied up in knots. Kyle looked up at her, shock written all over his face.
“Kyle,” she said before she sat down across from him.
“I don’t understand.” Kyle tugged at his tie. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m here to make sure you never leave the Idaho prison system.”
“Oh yeah?” Kyle said, sitting back in his chair. “And how are you going to do that?”
“Well, it’s funny,” Caroline said. “Did you know that there’s no statute of limitations for rape in the state of Idaho?”
“Of course I do,” he said warily.
“So, if at any time, even if it’s not for another twenty years, I wanted to walk into a police station and say, ‘Kyle Jenner raped me in one of his guest rooms when I was fifteen,’ I can do that.”
Caroline experienced her first zing of triumph as Kyle sat forward, looking nervously toward the door. “I don’t know what you’re trying to do, Caroline, but even if something had happened, it would have been consensual.”
“Consensual? Doesn’t a girl usually have to say yes for it to be consensual?”
“Oh, you said yes,” he said mockingly. “Several times.”
Keep your calm. By the time you’re done with him, he’ll be picking up soap in the shower, with ten other men calling him “sweet cheeks.”
“Did I? Funny how I can’t remember that,” she said, hating the way her voice shook with every word. “What I remember is feeling woozy before you carried me upstairs. I remember you taking advantage of me. You hurt me. And then, you threatened my sisters.”
“Whatever story you want to spin to make yourself feel better, that’s on you, but I don’t have to force myself on women to get laid,” Kyle said smugly.
Taking a deep breath, Caroline tried to remain in control. She could hold out long enough to make him hand himself in. Standing up, she continued, “Until recently, I hadn’t told anyone what you did, and it was like living in a hell I couldn’t escape. And the worst part was, I let you put me there. I took what you did and blamed myself for it. But it was never my fault. You’re the damaged one.”
Kyle’s face flushed nearly purple. “Damaged? I work for a prestigious law firm and have my pick of women. You were the one who got drunk and was all over me. I just took what was offered.”
“You can try to play it off however you want, but I finally understand that you are just a weak, disgusting waste of a human being,” she said, her tone mocking as she added, “I mean, it must take a real big man to force himself on a girl half his size.”
“Shut up, bitch,” Kyle snarled.
“What’s the matter, Kyle? Am I not your type anymore? Because I’m not scared of you?” She forced a laugh. “Maybe I just realized that underneath all that smarm you’re just . . . pathetic.”
He jumped to his feet and grabbed her shoulders, squeezing them painfully as he pushed her back onto the table. Caroline smiled like the cat that got the cream. She’d wanted to make him angry, wanted to throw him off.
“You’re the pathetic one. Poor little Caroline; nobody loves her. You were so desperate for my attention,” he said, holding fast when she struggled. He leaned forward until he was nose to nose with her. His nearness made her skin crawl. “It was so easy. I just added a little nip of whatever I could get my hands on and a few of my mother’s sleeping pills. You just kept guzzling that disgusting punch until you were barely conscious.”
She’d known he must have drugged her, but hearing the words come out of his mouth made bile rise up her throat, choking her. Caroline heard the sound of the room’s doorknob turning, but she had locked it. She had wanted to be alone with him, to make him sweat.
God, she was such an idiot.
“I think my favorite part was when you woke up during and started to struggle, pleading with me to stop,” he taunted her.
Bringing her legs up, she planted them into Kyle’s stomach and pushed him back. As he released her, stumbling back, she got her bearings and jumped back onto her feet. Just as he started to stand straight, she slapped him, backing away before he could reach for her. She couldn’t hold it in anymore, not when he was mocking her with that night.
She wasn’t fifteen years old, drugged and helpless. Or walking down a dark alley.
She was ready for him.
“And Gabe? Why did you blackmail my sister into accusing him?”
He rubbed his cheek and tsked at her. “Caroline, I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Forget lying, idiot, my sister has you recorded on her cell phone, beating her. Time stamped and everything.”
Kyle paled, and Caroline wanted to laugh that she had finally cracked his cool shell.
“That bastard got right where he belongs, all on his own.”
“Well, congratulations, Kyle, because we’re gonna be saying the same thing about you in a few hours.”
Kyle scoffed, but his eyes weren’t so sure. “Your sister is hardly a credible witness, no matter what she might have on her phone.”
“Oh, you’ll definitely pay for what you did to Ellie, but that’s not what’s going to put you away for half your life, if not more,” Caroline said, crossing her arms. “You know, I was sick every time I thought about what you’d done to me, but I had no idea how many others there were.”
“What are you talking about, others?”
“The other women you raped and paid off to keep quiet.” For the first time in years, Caroline felt in control. That she had some of her power back.
Sweat was starting to trail down the sides of Kyle’s face, and Caroline was enjoying every single second.
“It’s funny; once my father contacted them and told them you were being brought up on assault charges, six of them decided to make the trip to town to make statements,” Caroline said, grinning. “Three of them are here already. I wonder what they’re telling the nice officers about your very”—she looked down at his crotch—“unimpressive equipment.”
Kyle lunged at her with a roar.
Throwing her right shoulder forward, she twisted under his arm and kicked him as hard as she could in the groin. As he grabbed himself and groaned, she swung her right fist and hit him across his cheekbone, sending him crashing to the floor.
Suddenly, the door burst open, and the room filled with police officers and her father.
“Are you all right, Caroline?”
Shaking her hand out, she said, “Just working out my demons, Daddy.”
Sam came in, scowling at Kyle. “We got it.”
“Everything?” Caroline said, relief rushing through her.
“Yeah, you were right,” Sam said, shaking his head. “I can’t believe you got him to hang himself.”
“Oh, believe me, I can irritate anyone if I put my mind to it.” Leaning over Kyle, she pointed at the camera in the ceiling corner with the red blinking light. “Wave to the camera, Kyle.”
Kyle turned his head, and when he saw the camera, he struggled against the cuffs. “Oh, you bitch . . . you fucking bit
ch,” Kyle groaned from the floor. Two of the officers reached down and hauled him to his feet.
“Caroline?” her father said, his mouth twitching like he was fighting a smile.
“Yes, Daddy?”
“Have you ever considered a career in law enforcement? I have some connections . . .” he said, his lips still twitching with humor.
Surprised by his attempt to be funny, she laughed.
“Thanks, but I actually love the way my life’s turning out.” Turning to the chief of police, she said, “Sir, I believe you have something of mine, and I’d like it back.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
“The three hardest words in the English language are not ‘I love you’ but ‘I forgive you.’ ”
—Miss Know It All
“GABRIEL MORIARTY,” ONE of the officers called out as he opened the cell. It seemed a little silly to Gabe, considering he was the only one in the cage.
“Yeah,” he said, sitting up.
“You’ve been cleared, son.” The officer opened the door and stepped back. “You’re free to go.”
“How was I cleared?”
The officer shook his head. “Chief just said you had an angel on your side.”
Gabe walked out of the cell and knew exactly who the angel was.
After he finished his paperwork, another uniform drove him down the road to the apartment. He got out of the car and took the stairs two at a time, only to find the front door unlocked.
Caroline looked up from the kitchen table, a pen and paper in her hand.
“You’re home,” she said breathlessly.
Gabe nodded. “Seems the charges were dropped. I’m guessing that was you.”
“Yeah, Ellie had a video of Kyle beating her,” Caroline said, standing up. “And I provoked him into admitting what he did to me, and my dad had found some of Kyle’s other victims. It’s finally over.”
All he wanted to do was take her into his arms, but he wasn’t sure what was allowed. Or if he should start something up again. Maybe he had put too much pressure on her—and what was between them—the first time around.
“What were you writing?”