“Who is he?” Dean demanded.
“Vinnie, we were in foster care together.” Leah’s voice sounded defeated.
“What are you doing with him?” Dean lifted his wrists to stretch the tape, but it wasn’t budging.
“He came to the center a few weeks before your niece. He said his grandmother was sick and he was looking for the best place to put her.” Leah stopped.
“He called you?” Dean asked as he continued to listen for the return of who she called Vinnie.
“No, Gemma actually…” Leah burst into tears again, and her breath came in choppy pants.
“Calm down, Leah. I need you to stay calm so we can get out of this.” Dean heard her take a few short, shaky breaths.
“He kept us locked up in his van until the police left here then he killed her. In front of me. He tossed her body into that corner. She was nothing to him.” Leah took another couple of breaths and continued. “He was fooling around with Gemma, and he strangled her right in front of me.”
“This guy's crazy, Leah but I need you to continue.” Even if it didn’t help, keeping her talking would give him information.
“The night that your niece died…. I’m sorry… I saw him leave the building. When I saw him, he said he’d been with Gemma in her office.” Leah sniffed.
“Are you saying he wasn’t?” Dean’s body shook because he knew what she was about to say.
“Gemma and I fought that night because I told her I was going to report her for screwing him when his grandmother was a potential resident. She called me a liar and told me I was jealous of her and Vinnie. She also said he wasn’t there that night, but I talked to him. He was there.” Leah seemed a little calmer.
“Did Gemma confront him?”
“I called him and told him what happened. He said that she didn’t want to get in trouble. He asked me to meet him the night of the fire, and he would give me the money to pay the debts my ex-boyfriend left me to pay. It’s why I work so many hours. When I went to meet him, he said he had to come to his house to get the money.” Leah sighed. “He said this was his house and when I got in here he wouldn’t let me go.”
“How did Gemma get here?” Dean had actually forgotten about the odor until he mentioned the woman’s name.
“He called her and told her he wanted to talk to her. I was tied up down here, and they got into a huge fight. I heard her scream something about a video, and he wasn’t going to dump her.” Leah sighed. "I don't know what happened at that point. All I know a few minutes later I heard a thud, and he ran down here. He dragged me up the steps and out to the van in the back and chained me to a seat. A few minutes later he opened the van and dropped Gemma on the floor. I thought she was dead, but she woke up a little while later. I'll never forget the look in her eyes." Leah stopped when something upstairs crashed.
“Shhh...” Dean listened for a moment then he heard the voice that made his blood run cold.
“Dean, are you here?” Kristy shouted.
“I’m sure I told you to stay in the truck.” Dean was sure that was Leah’s father, and Leah’s gasp confirmed it.
“Dad. Dad.” Leah shouted.
“We’re down in the basement.” Dean shouted.
“Where’s the basement, Hannah?” Kristy shouted, and he heard Hannah’s muffled voice.
The heavy stomping of people running to the kitchen and the basement door opening was the best sound he’d heard in a long time.
“Fuck, Kristy, stay here,” Garrett ordered, and Dean knew as a firefighter the man probably knew what the putrid smell was.
“I’m not staying here; Dean is downstairs.” Dean rolled his eyes because that was his girl stubborn and beautiful.
“Now I see why your father said girls were hell.” Garrett sounded pissed.
He was the first one down the basement stairs from the sound of the heavy footsteps. Leah cried louder when she saw him, and Dean heard him softly try to soothe her.
“Dean. Oh God, Dean, are you okay?” Kristy was touching his face, head, arms but he didn’t care. “Your head is bleeding.”
She ran her hands over part of his head, and he flinched from the sting. He hadn’t realized he was hurt at all but chances were he probably tumbled down the stairs when Vinnie knocked him out.
“Get this shit off me.” Dean yanked at his arms.
“Here, I’ve got a knife.” Kristy stepped back while Garrett cut through the tape on Dean’s arms and legs.
Kristy enveloped Leah in her arms while Garrett released Dean from the chair. When he stood first, he knew for sure he’d taken a tumble because his muscles ached. Nothing appeared broken, but he wasn’t about to let Kristy realize he hurt all over. Dean stood up and the four of them made their way to the stairs.
As they made it to the main level, Hannah stood stiffly in the living room, but her face was hard to read. She looked scared but also a little pissed all at the same time.
“He’s not hurt, Hannah and we found Leah… what the…” Kristy spun around when she heard the front door slam shut.
“So now we have the whole family together.” Dean’s head snapped toward the voice. The first thing he saw was his brother in law. Ivan Humphrey stood in the hallway of the house with a huge smile, and a gun pointed toward Hannah. Next to him was Vincent Day.
“What the fuck?” Dean started toward him, but Ivan held the gun higher and wiggled his finger over the trigger.
“Ah...ah...ah… Dean, my brother. Your sister over there is right in my good friend Vince’s sites. You remember Vincent?” Ivan laughed and sauntered to the couch in the living room.
Dean’s body shook with anger, but when Kristy nudged him, his attention focused on Hannah. Tears streamed down her cheeks, but she was perfectly still with her back to Ivan.
“You know if your father hadn’t gone and gotten himself killed, none of this would have been necessary.” Ivan crossed his long legs and rested the butt of the gun on his thigh.
“Why?” Hannah spat, but she didn’t turn around to look at the man she’d loved for so many years and thought was dead.
“Why she askes?” Ivan laughed and glanced at Vince. “Why don’t I start and then Vince can tell you his part.”
“No matter what you tell us, nothing is terrible enough for what you’ve done.” Dean pushed Kristy behind him and noticed Garrett do the same with Leah.
“Really, I loved your sister, but she betrayed me with my brother. Not once, but twice. Isn’t that right, honey?” Ivan glanced toward Hannah.
“What is he talking about?” Dean asked his sister, but he kept his gaze focused on Ivan and the gun. Dean could see Garrett glare at Vince.
“Tell him, sweetheart. Tell him how you fucked my brother and got knocked up with a little boy that died. Karma number one. Then tell him how you fucked him again and had a little girl who drained both of us physically because of her illness.”
Dean stared at his sister. Her eyes were closed, but tears streamed down her cheeks. Was Eric Peyton’s father? There was no way.
“Tell him,” Ivan shouted.
“I won’t tell him that because it isn’t true. Peyton is your daughter.” Hannah spun around and shouted.
“Was, darling. She’s dead remember. I do have a question for you. If she was my child, why did my brother show me proof he was her father?” He jumped to his feet and frantically swung around his arms.
“You’re a liar.” Hannah never raised her voice, but it was so high pitched at that moment, Dean was sure only dogs could hear her.
Ivan reached into his pocket and pulled out a sheet of paper. He tossed it on the coffee table in front of him and pointed at it. Hannah didn’t move as he backed away and eased on to the couch.
“There’s your proof.” He growled.
Hannah moved slowly toward the table and snatched the paper from the table. After a few minutes, she dropped it on the table and with her head high walked toward Ivan.
“I don’t care what that pape
r says, Peyton is your daughter. I slept with Eric once. The night you’re talking about is the night he begged me to leave you for him. I was already pregnant with Peyton. That piece of paper is a fake, and there is no way he gave that to you.” Hannah was dangerously close to Ivan, and it made Dean very nervous. Garrett didn’t seem comfortable either.
“Oh well, you caught me. I figured I’d try to have this big dramatic climax but hey. I got tired of being second fiddle to all of you. Hell, even Peyton was ahead of me in the lineup, and we all know she was as good as dead. Thanks to old Vince here, we got that part out of the way. So that you know, she went quickly.” Ivan stood up, and Hannah backed away.
“How are you not dead?” Kristy poked her head around Dean to ask the same question Dean had running around in his brain.
“Well, Ms. O’Connor, yes I do know who you are. Thanks to dirty cops who love money, and drugs that make people sleep through anything, it was possible.” Ivan pointed to Vince, and he glanced out through the window next to the front door. When he moved back, he shook his head.
“You paid off cops to botch the investigation.” Dean kept his tone calm but inside he was raging.
“Well the ones that you spoke with weren’t police, and right now they're on a beach somewhere in South America. The real police I paid off were ready to retire and didn’t mind fucking over the department in exchange for a hefty retirement package from Decker Corp.” Ivan grinned. “You see anyone can be bought, isn’t that right, Leah.”
Dean and Garrett turned, but Leah shook her head as she trembled next to Kristy. It was apparent she had no idea what she'd been involved with until it was too late.
“I never agreed to hurt people or kill people. I only agreed to help Vinnie get his grandmother into Comfort Life Care. Pull a few strings for an old friend.” Leah continued to shake her head. “I never would have agreed to this.”
“Isn’t your son soon going to be dropped off by the daycare?” Vince or Vinnie laughed. Dean wasn’t sure what to call him. Except for a dead man when Dean got a chance.
“You keep your fucking hands off my grandson, or I swear I’ll kill you with my bare hands.” Garrett’s voice vibrated through the room like an earthquake.
“I’m sure you could, Mr. Sellers but you see we’re holding the weapons and I can shoot your daughter a lot faster than you can get to me.” Vince chuckled.
“How could you do this? I loved you?” Hannah sounded off, and Dean wasn’t sure what his sister was about to do.
“You never loved me, Hannah. You loved the idea of me. The idea of the man you thought I was. I spent years putting a plan into motion where I could take this company places. You see, Vince here lost his father when your family took his house and business away. He killed himself, and Vince ended up in foster care with Leah and Trevor.” Ivan stood up and walked toward the door.
“Trevor, why did he kill Eric?” Dean wasn’t letting them get away so easily.
“Can I fill them in?” Vince laughed.
“Sure,” Ivan leaned against the wall.
“I kept my dear friend Trevor supplied with all the drugs he would ever want. He did me a favor, and I gave him what he wanted.” Vince sighed. “It was too bad he snapped and figured it all out, or he thought he did. He actually thought Eric was behind all this.”
“You two are crazy.” Kristy stepped out from behind Dean.
“Kitten, no.” Dean tried to step in front of her, but she moved.
“Just so you know, the police, the real ones who can’t be bought are on their way and this…” Kristy held up her phone. “Has both of your recorded confessions on it.”
“She’s cute.” Ivan laughed.
“It’s almost a shame we have to kill her.” Vince moved toward her with a sinister scowl on his face.
“Don’t fucking touch her.” Dean stepped in front of her.
“I wasn’t going to, but I don’t know. With that body, I might have to get a taste of that before I blow off her pretty little head.” Vince moved closer.
“I don’t think you could actually get it up because you know that big gun says you might be overcompensating for something.” Kristy pointed to the gun.
Dean stared at Kristy. He couldn’t believe what she said to a man with a gun pointed at her.
“You see, real men don’t need guns to please a lady.” Kristy linked her arm into Dean’s, and he noticed her hand. She’d typed a message and turned so he could read it.
Kristy: I’ll get him close enough for you to grab the gun. James texted me. He has Ivan as soon as you grab this guy.
Dean had to scan the text twice, and he had no idea how Vince didn’t see the screen from how close he stood, but when he glanced down at Kristy, her blouse was open enough that her bra was visible.
Fuck.
“What’s wrong, Vincent? That is your name, right?” Kristy traced her finger between her breasts. She put on a brave front, but Dean could feel her tremble as Vince stepped closer.
“I go by Vince or Vinnie.” He growled.
“Okay, so am I right or are you going to show me what kind of gun you have hidden away?” Kristy’s purr was pissing Dean off because he could see the arousal in Vince’s eyes as the man scanned Kristy’s body.
“We don’t have time for this shit, Vince.” Ivan groaned from the front door.
“I’m taking the fucking time,” Vince reached for Kristy and the hand he held the gun with dropped enough for Dean to spin around and grab it while pushing Kristy out of the guy’s reach. In the same second, Garrett lunged for Hannah and covered her with his body. Kristy had Leah on the floor behind Dean.
Vince’s scream muted a loud pop, the crash of a window breaking and the thud of Ivan hitting the floor. Probably because Dean snapped the man’s arm like a twig the second he got the chance.
“Don’t move,” Nick shouted as Vince rocked back and forth on the floor holding his arm.
“He broke my arm.” Vince cried.
“I’ll fucking break your other one if you don’t stop moving.” Nick rolled his eyes.
Dean didn’t know what happened after that because he was on the floor pulling Kristy into his arms. She clung to him and as brave as she was he could hear the heavy sobs from her as she tucked her head into his neck.
Dean saw Leah clinging to her father. He scanned the room for his sister and wasn’t surprised to see Hannah stood over her dead husband.
“Hannah, I need you to step back from him,” John spoke calmly as he pulled her back from Ivan.
“I loved you. How could you do this?” Hannah collapsed into John’s arms, but before he got a chance to pick her up, Garrett was next to him helping her to the couch.
All though they didn’t have all the answers, it was over. Hannah had definitely not killed Ivan, Vince confessed to killing Peyton and starting the fire. The only problem was, would Hannah be able to deal with the betrayal as well as the loss.
Something told Dean his sister was about to find out how strong of a person she really was.
Chapter 26
Kristy probably annoyed everyone in the waiting room with her constant pacing back and forth. They’d taken Dean, Leah, and Hannah to the hospital emergency room as a precaution when everyone was finally permitted to leave the house.
Garrett sent one of the other firefighters to be there for when the bus dropped his grandson off. According to him, Liam loved all his brothers at the fire department. The little boy adored the attention, and since none of the guys had kids of their own, he was spoiled by them.
She knew she'd taken a crazy risk with what she'd done earlier, but since Dean stood in front of her, Kristy took a chance and sent a text to James. Before she'd received an answer, she made sure her phone didn't vibrate at any incoming text or calls.
James sent a text back, and the plan got put in place. It took her a while to build up the courage to lure Vince closer, and she didn't think it would work.
Kristy was about to ask the n
urse for the fourth time how much longer it would be before she could see Hannah or Dean but as she glanced down the corridor, all she saw was two arms that pulled her into a familiar embrace.
“Jesus Christ, Kristy. What on earth were you thinking?” Her father held her against him, but she didn’t care. His hug was comforting and safe like when she was a little girl.
“I needed to get to him, Dad. I knew he was in danger.” Kristy rested her cheek against his chest and closed her eyes. “I just knew.”
“Is he okay?” Kristy opened her eyes to see her mother next to them.
“He seemed to be, but he had a cut on his head, and I think he may have hurt his wrist. I’m waiting for someone to tell me something.” Kristy lifted her head and glared at the nurse behind the desk.
“Honey, you know what it is to be on the other side of that counter. Have patience.” Her mother reminded her of how often people snapped at her for news on their loved ones.
“I know, but it’s not just Dean. Hannah seemed in a fog.” Of course, she knew shock had set in. It was a wonder Hannah was even able to walk out of the house considering what she’d found out.
“I’ll see what I can find out.” Her uncle Sean squeezed by them. Kristy hadn’t seen the rest of the family behind her parents, but as she leaned around her father’s arm, she saw the most beautiful sight.
Uncles, Aunts, Cousins, sisters, and friends all gathered inside the waiting room. It was the most beautiful thing she ever saw and her eyes filled with tears. She shouldn’t have been surprised because her family and friends were the best in the world.
“I heard they found your friend and the other girl,” Jess said as Kristy sat next to her.
“Yeah, Leah seemed okay physically but Gemma… she didn’t make it.” Kristy glanced at Garrett on the other side of the room. He sat with his elbows on his knees and his hands folded in front of him. His head dropped as if he was in the middle of a prayer.
“I can’t believe you walked right into that.” Isabelle wrapped her arm around Kristy’s shoulder.
“All I could think about was that he was hurt or … I had to get to him.” Kristy sighed. “That’s Leah’s dad.” She nodded toward Garrett.
Hidden Betrayal (O'Connor Girls Book 1) Page 24