Cold fury, p.36
Cold Fury, page 36
part #1 of Cold Justice® - Most Wanted Series
“He was the first detective on scene at the third double-murder,” Frazer confirmed. “He’d only recently switched partners and, as he’d worked the previous murders, both he and Monroe got the call even though it was officially Monroe’s case.”
“Perhaps Monroe was involved or maybe he wasn’t, but suddenly he’s overwhelmed with guilt and threatens to tell someone, his captain—”
“His priest,” Janelli interrupted. “If he started to feel guilty, he’d want to confess to his priest. Brendan often says he doesn’t trust priests to keep confessions secret, and that’s from a man who takes his mother to mass every Sunday.”
“So Brendan kills Monroe and maybe his brother figures it out—and the only way Brendan can be sure Danny doesn’t tell anyone, especially his wife who’s defending the guy Brendan tried to set up, is by killing his brother?”
“I’d say it was possible,” said Frazer. “And if Brendan figures out we’re onto him before they get out of that car, Hope’s dead because Brendan has more than an unhealthy obsession with her. He’ll drive them off a bridge if he believes he’s been found out.”
Aaron refused to think about that. “What can we charge him with?” Leech had already been convicted of the murders.
“Leech’s conviction would be overturned, which would be extremely ironic, and Brendan prosecuted.” Frazer sounded as if he was typing something into a computer.
“We get him on Monroe,” Janelli said angrily. “We get him for killing one of his own and getting away with it for so many years.” He reached for his phone. “I’ll talk to my captain—”
“No.” Aaron shook his head. “What if he calls Brendan or someone overhears at the precinct? They’ll warn him.”
Janelli opened his mouth to argue, but Aaron raised his voice so loud it boomed off the interior. “If you touch your cell, I will handcuff you and put you in the backseat! I’m not putting Hope’s life in danger. Don’t you think she’s been through enough?”
“Order your squad back to Hope’s place, and make sure they arrive before Brendan gets there,” Frazer ordered. “We’ll take him down before they go inside the building. Do not spook him. I’ll meet you there.”
Aaron ignored the fear that wanted to trample his training and made the call. Suddenly, all his fears about having his heart broken again seemed petty and inconsequential. He’d joined HRT to prove himself, and yet all that really mattered was the same thing that had mattered when he’d been that geeky biologist. Love. His issue all along wasn’t that he wasn’t good enough, it was simply that he hadn’t found the right person. And now he had, and the thought of losing her before they really had a chance together cut him into a million pieces.
“We’ll get her.” Janelli awkwardly tried to comfort him.
“We better,” Aaron said grimly.
57
“So Leech is really dead?” asked Brendan.
“Yeah.” Hope bit her lip. He was driving too fast. He always drove too fast.
“Can you slow down? The drugs have made my stomach woozy, and I don’t want to vomit all over your manly muscle car.”
He took his foot off the accelerator. “Your intern drugged you?”
“Yeah, to get me out of the courthouse.”
“That fucking little prick.” Brendan shifted and looked at her. “I never trusted him.”
“Oh, come on. You barely knew him.”
He laughed. “I didn’t trust the sleaze ball.”
She snorted. “Well, you are the only one. Most of the ADAs wanted to poach him off me. I should have suspected something was off when he volunteered to work with me.”
“You aren’t that bad.”
She laughed and looked out of the window. “I am.” But she felt different now. Despite the terrible betrayal by someone she’d thought of as a trusted colleague within the justice system, she felt lighter somehow.
“So, you and the asshole bodyguard, huh?” His knuckles stood out as his fists curled around the steering wheel.
She turned away to stare at the snowy horizon as the lightness faded. She didn’t want to talk about Aaron with Brendan. What they had was special, and she wanted to guard it the same way Eloisa Fairchild had guarded the news about her son.
“It probably won’t last.” She squeezed her hands into fists. But she hoped it did.
Brendan grunted.
“I’ve spent all these years trying to atone for what happened to Danny and Paige.” And she’d never gotten close. “I always thought that if I had the opportunity to confront Leech one-on-one that he’d tell me the truth.” She shook her head. “He admitted to the other murders.” Her eyelid twitched. “The ones where I defended him.”
“Yeah, well, we all knew he was guilty.” Brendan shot her a look that as plain as words blamed her for Danny’s and Paige’s deaths.
She swallowed.
“He’s probably only after sex, you know.” Brendan’s gaze flicked over her form. “The Fed.”
“Ha. Thank you, Brendan. I am aware of male foibles. However, as we’ve already had sex on multiple occasions, I don’t think it’s quite that simple.”
Even though she’d tried to make it that simple.
The car swerved slightly.
“Slow down.” She grabbed her stomach. She hadn’t felt this kind of nausea since she’d been pregnant with Paige. She clutched herself. Jesus. The thought of having another child hit her like a sledgehammer.
The desire was so visceral she could almost taste it.
Would Aaron be interested in kids? She had no idea. She’d never imagined she’d reach a place where she’d even contemplate having another baby.
“Leech say anything else?”
She shook her head. “Not really. Cracked a few jokes that I’m sure he thought were witty. Colin was Richard Prince’s illegitimate son.”
“Jesus.” Brendan shot her a look. “That was a brutal crime scene. You think the kid checked out the case file?”
She swallowed, thinking of all the files she’d kept in her office that he’d had access to. All the crime scene photos and autopsy reports. Richard Prince had died a slow, painful death. “I suspect he did.” She shivered. “I need to call the DA and update him about Colin and check up on Judge Penton, but right now I don’t have the energy.” They were speeding toward the city limits. “Hey, can we grab a coffee or a hot chocolate? I haven’t had a drink since this morning, and I skipped breakfast.”
“Sure. Want food too?”
“Maybe some fries.” It might help settle her stomach.
They pulled up to a fast-food joint, and he put in the order. She pulled out her wallet to pay but he insisted. She wondered where her cell phone was and felt strangely disconnected from the world without it.
They drove away again, and she nibbled on the fries and tentatively sipped the volcanically hot drink.
She put the cup into the cupholder.
“You’re not serious about the guy, are you? I mean, I thought you were still stuck on Danny?”
She blinked repeatedly to clear the emotion that blurred her vision. God. He was so blunt. She should be used to it by now, but he always knew how to hurt her the most.
“I loved your brother with all my heart.” But she’d finally found the strength, the courage, to feel, to live, to love again. “I think I might be ready to take a chance.”
“It won’t last, Hope.”
Christ, if she was half as miserable as Brendan, it was no wonder no one had even asked her on a date in all these years.
She realized then how bad they’d been for one another. Each encouraging the other to wallow in failure and grief.
“Wanna go by the grave before I drop you home?” He looked hopeful at the idea.
She shook her head. “It’s been a long day.”
Today wasn’t about the past. Not now that Leech was dead. Today was about the possibility of a future. And Aaron might not even be able to stay the night if the team were needed for another operation. At least he’d promised they could talk. Hopefully, he’d forgive her for pushing him away, and they could figure something out.
They pulled up outside her home. and it felt as if she’d been gone for days rather than hours.
“Are we still on for Sunday lunch tomorrow?”
Hope stared at Brendan in shock. After everything she’d been through this week, the fact he thought he and his mother’s meal plans would rank as a high priority in her life was baffling.
“It’s going to depend on how I feel in the morning.” After either having sex all night or in the aftermath of the sorrow she was going to feel if Aaron had left.
“Ma is expecting—”
“I know, Brendan.” She clutched her forehead at the leaden weight of obligation hung around her neck. “I know. Give me a little breathing space here, okay? It’s been a hell of a day.”
She got out and took her cup and fries. Leaned down. “I’ll call you in the morning.”
She slammed the door before he could answer and headed up the steps to her front door. She searched her pocket for a key, but the door opened, and she found herself dragged inside by Aaron.
“How did you beat me home?”
Rather than saying anything, he took her cup and food from her hands and then led her into her neighbors’ room that faced the street. He parted the curtains, and she saw Lewis Janelli dragging Brendan out of the vehicle and pushing him over the hood of the Charger before slapping cuffs on his wrists.
She whirled. “I don’t understand?”
He led her back outside in time for her to hear Janelli reading Brendan his rights.
She strode toward him. “What’s going on?”
“It’s not what you think.” Brendan shot her a look of anguish and her heart sank.
“What have you done, Brendan?”
“Have you got the balls to tell her, asshole?” Aaron asked from over her shoulder. “Or are you going to lie to her for the rest of your worthless life?”
“What do you mean?” Dread began to fill her. She’d thought it was all over.
“It was an accident.” Brendan’s expression was pleading.
“What was an accident?” She found herself taking a step back.
“Danny.” He sobbed then. “Paige.”
Every muscle in her body froze. “What are you talking about?”
Brendan hunched over. “He figured it out. Danny figured it out. Monroe…”
She frowned. “Pauly Monroe? What did Monroe do?”
Tears streamed down Brendan’s face. “Monroe was going to confess to his priest what we did.”
She covered her mouth and her voice got low. “What did you do, Brendan?”
He pursed his lips, but it was too late.
“You killed Monroe and sent me that email because you thought everyone was going to find out it was you that planted that evidence? So you set Monroe up to take the fall, didn’t you?”
Brendan looked like a wounded animal.
She took a step forward as another unthinkable truth crashed into her. “Danny figured it out.”
We have to talk.
Those four little words had haunted her for years. The thought that Danny had been angry with her when he’d died had nearly broken her. And he’d known. Brendan had known all along.
“It was an accident. I swear. I went over to talk to him because he said you two had had a big fight and the news reported the trial was over. Leech was released. We started talking about Pauly and the evidence and…he knew.” Brendan started sobbing. “He always knew when I was lying. We started fighting, and I saw the letter opener on his desk and…it just happened. It just happened.”
She started to crumple. Aaron put his arm around her waist to hold her up. Brendan’s eyes narrowed.
“Paige?” Her voice broke. “What did you do to Paige!”
He flinched. “She came running in and saw everything. I thought she was at a playdate. She was supposed to be at a playdate!”
His anguish bounced off Hope like hail.
“She started screaming and I picked her up and tried to stop her from making all that noise while I figured out what to do about Danny, who was bleeding.” He met her gaze then, beseeching her to understand. “And then, then, I realized I could pin it all on Leech or a copycat or someone who hated you for setting a serial killer free. And that’s what you did, Hope—”
“No.” She shook with ice-cold fury. “You don’t get to blame me for this. Not anymore. Don’t you see? You did it. You did it all. You’re the reason the case was tossed out and Leech was released. You’re the reason Danny and Paige are dead.” She sobbed. “All these years, I blamed myself, and you let me. You watched me. I tried to atone for Leech targeting them because I’d defended him, but it was always you. I never want to see you ever again, Brendan. I hope you finally understand that you murdered a detective you’d been friends with for years. You killed your brother who you claimed to love, and you killed a child who idolized you. I hope you rot in hell.”
She stumbled, and Aaron swept her up in his arms and swung her away.
58
Livingstone opened the door, and Aaron carried Hope upstairs to her apartment and sat on her sofa, holding her while she wept uncontrollable tears. He rocked her until she finally quieted and lay lax against his shoulder.
“I’m sorry, Hope.”
He felt her swallow.
“Not your fault.” Her expression crumpled. “And now I know for sure it wasn’t mine either.” She wiped her face. “I have all these emotions fighting inside me. I feel this incredible sense of betrayal combined with a sudden sense of freedom. People talk about a weight being lifted from their shoulders, but I’ve never experienced it before.”
“You’ve had a helluva day.”
“I have, but I finally know what really happened, and it helps.” She sucked in a breath. “I think Leech truly believed I’d done it. I bet that’s why he wouldn’t stop writing to me, calling me a liar. How ironic that he went to prison for a crime he didn’t commit after being released for the ones he did.”
Her eyes were red from weeping, but they were starting to clear.
“Ella was released from the hospital, and so was Judge Penton. I guess the trial might be delayed.” Aaron wasn’t sure about those details.
“I was so mad at Penton this morning. She had some crazy notion Seth Hopper might be involved in Beasley’s murder.”
Aaron drew back. “What?”
“Colin threw him under the bus about a joke he made in court. It was nothing. I explained to Penton that Hopper had a solid alibi. Leech did admit to killing the first six victims, plus Sylvie, her husband, and Jeff Beasley—for lying about him, apparently.” She rolled her eyes. “Pretty sure the DA will remove me from the Gibson case whether I like it or not—but I'm thinking of taking some time off anyway.”
“I think that’s a smart thing to do.”
“I’ll speak to Ella. Hopefully, they sent a victim’s advocate to talk with her.”
“Colin Leighton’s position in the DA’s office will raise a lot of questions and concerns.”
She huffed out a tired laugh. “Oh, yeah.”
“I suspect we’re going to find all Leech’s letters to you since Colin became your intern stowed somewhere in Colin’s belongings.”
“Is he still alive?”
Aaron nodded. “He lost a lot of blood, but he’s in surgery. Apparently, he has a good chance of making it.” Presumably the guy had set up a go-bag with all the things he needed to escape the country after he’d killed Leech and Hope. They’d find it. It was only a matter of time.
Hope gripped his T-shirt. “What I said to you last night with the ‘just sex’ comment…”
He tried to interrupt.
“No, please let me explain. I deliberately made you think that all we had was physical chemistry because I was scared of you getting too close. If Leech targeted you because he discovered I’d gone and fallen in love with you, I wouldn’t have been able to live with myself.”
He held himself still, not sure he’d heard her correctly. “Pardon me?”
“You heard.” She bumped his shoulder.
“Are you saying you love me?”
She smiled, and it was the most carefree expression he’d ever seen on her beautiful face.
“I do.” Whatever shock she saw on his face, she misinterpreted. “It’s okay. You don’t have to say it back. You’ve given me a gift. Even if you run away screaming down the street this second, you’ve freed me from a prison of my own making. You made me realize I was stronger than I knew—not simply a victim but a survivor. I can’t thank you enough for that.”
Aaron couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “I fell in love with you the moment I saw you downstairs not backing down when faced with a whole squad of Hostage Rescue operators.”
“You were pretty intimidating.”
“We didn’t intimidate you for a second.” He kissed her then because he couldn’t not kiss her.
She kissed him back, and it was gentle and sweet.
Her fingers gripped him tight as if she was scared he was going to walk out the door. The fact he was going to have to at some point in the near future made him agitated.
Then she pulled back. “I need to tell you a couple of things before we continue.”
Uh-oh.
She cleared her throat. “First, I’m going to find it difficult to cope with your job being so dangerous, but I will not try to change who you are.” She ran her finger over his lips. “I happen to think you’re perfect as is, so change is pointless. Instead, I will work on my own mental health and coping mechanisms.”
Perfect? “My job is dangerous. So is crossing the street.”
She elbowed him in the ribs.
He laughed softly. “The fact you’re talking as if we may have a chance of more than ‘just sex’ and said that you think you love me is all I want.”
“Aaron, I don’t think I love you. I know I love you. I’ve only ever felt this way once before.” She sucked in her lips. “Danny would have liked you, and he would have hated Brendan for what he did and for getting away with it for so long.” Her eyes had that faraway look, then focused back on him. “The other thing I realized today amid all the excitement is I’d like to have another child.”
