Cruel Vendetta, page 23
DREW
The familiar sounds and smells assaulted me the moment I stepped into the station. Despite my relief at having the past week off to spend with Emery, I had to admit—it was good to be back.
Mac’s head lifted as the door swung shut behind me, and he met my gaze. “Hey. Glad to have you back.”
I tipped my head at him. “Thanks, man. Good to be here.”
Not as good as being in bed with Emery, of course, but I'd exhausted her enough for one day. Half an hour ago I'd left her curled up in bed, soft and warm and very, very satisfied. I battled back the smile at the memory, wondering just how quickly I could get back home to her for a repeat.
Though I’d tried to persuade her to go stay with my parents while I was at work, she’d politely declined. Actually, that was overstating it a bit. She flat-out refused, saying that she had too much to do, and that she had no desire to have a babysitter. I understood where she was coming from, but I also wanted to make sure she was safe.
Over the past week, she’d spent the time healing up, but we hadn’t heard about the man who’d shot Stratton. He’d made no attempt to find Emery whatsoever, and I couldn’t determine whether that was good or bad. It could have been because I was with her every minute of the day, and he hadn’t been able to get close. But if he was intent on tying up loose ends, it would have been easy enough for him to try to take out both of us at once. There’d been no disturbances at the house, nothing out of the ordinary at all. According to Emery, she’d never seen the man’s face, so maybe he was intent on leaving well-enough alone. Stratton was presumed dead, and with him, any evidence of the killer’s identity.
“Emery okay?”
I never knew how much to share with people. It was a private matter, and not really even my own to share. Still, these were my brothers and I appreciated their concern. “She's healing up, seems to be doing okay. Thanks for asking,” I added.
“Glad to hear that.”
“What about you?” I leaned one hip against the desk. “How have you been since…?”
He'd been through a hell of an ordeal with the woman he dated about a month ago. She’d manipulated Mac for information about a case we were working, and I knew he still occasionally blamed himself.
He tipped his head from side to side. “Fine.”
“You dating anyone?”
“No way.” He shook his head. “I'm hanging my hat up for a while.”
“Can't let one bad experience ruin it for you.”
Aiden caught my eye across the room and headed toward us. A tiny smirk tipped my lips when I saw the protein shake in his hand. In all my life, I’d never seen him drink anything that wasn't either water or protein powder mixed with water. He took extremely good care of himself, and I teased him mercilessly.
“Hey, man.” I fist-bumped him. “How's it going?”
“Same shit, different day. How about you? Everything good?”
“Good enough.” I tipped my head toward Mac. “Trying to get this one back out on the field.”
“That's rich, coming from you. Practically robbing the cradle.” Mac grinned. “That's like me dating Izzy. Think she'd go for it?”
“Hell, no,” I shot back. “She's got better taste than that.”
“Ouch.” He slapped one hand over his chest and affected a mock wounded look. “That hurts, Thorne.”
“Not as much as it'll hurt when I have to kick your ass for talking about my sister.”
Mac just laughed, and I pushed away from the desk with a grin. It felt good to be back, to joke again and laugh. Aiden fell into step next to me as I headed toward my cubicle. I swiveled my head his way. “Haven't seen you around lately.”
He was usually a regular at Sunday dinner, but he'd been absent for the last few weeks.
He shook his head. “Got some shit going on.”
I shot him a concerned look. “Anything I can help with?”
“Nah, but thanks for asking.”
Aiden wasn't the most talkative of our group, but he and Gray had been friends for years. We all hung out from time to time, though with everything going on, Gray and I had been busier than usual. We were all due for some time to chill and relax, even though I'd just spent almost two full weeks with Emery. “We should hang out soon.”
“Sure.” He flashed me a tight smile, then tipped his head toward the bullpen. “I've got some stuff to finish up, but I'll catch you later. Glad you’re back.”
Something was bothering him, but I decided to let it go for the moment. “See ya later.”
Familiar faces popped up from the cubicles as I wound my way through the bullpen, everyone calling out welcomes and well-wishes for Emery. Almost as soon as I sat down, my brother materialized next to my desk.
“Got a minute?”
“Sure.” Curiosity pricked at me. Judging from the tightness of his tone, it was something serious. Once we were sealed in his office I closed the door behind us and turned to him.
Gray crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against his desk. “Emery okay?”
I was a little surprised at the question considering he’d just seen her yesterday. “She’s good.”
“I mean, is she good to be home alone?” Concern creased his features. “If you need to work from home, or—”
I lifted one hand and waved him off. “She doesn’t seem to be nearly as bothered by this whole thing as I am.”
He nodded slowly. “Well, the offer stands.”
I dipped my chin. “I appreciate it, but I need to be here. I promised Emery I would figure out what happened to Stratton and find whoever else was in the cabin that day.”
“Might be able to help you with that—at least the first part,” Gray said as he reached behind him and swiped a file folder off the desk. “Monroe County found him two days ago—what’s left of him, anyway.”
At his words, a huge weight seemed to lift off my shoulders. There was no remorse, only immense relief in the knowledge that the man who’d terrorized Emery was dead. “Does the timeline match?”
“From the look of him, I would say yes. Haven’t heard anything official from the ME yet.”
He passed me a photo, and my gaze immediately flew to the small, round hole just below Stratton’s left eye. Single shot, just like Emery had said. My mind raced, already considering the new lead. “We didn’t find a slug at the scene. If the ME can pull it—”
Gray snorted. “Yeah, that’s not gonna happen.”
He passed me a second photograph that afforded a view of the back of Stratton’s head. His scalp had been pinned up, exposing the man’s cerebral cortex, a large portion of which was missing.
I blinked. “What the fuck?”
“Yep.”
I lifted my gaze to my brother. “They actually removed an entire section of his brain before they dumped him?”
Gray shrugged. “Didn’t want to leave evidence. They also wiped him down. The ME hasn’t found a single fiber yet.”
Jesus Christ. I wiped one hand down my face then handed the photos back to him. “Any idea when he might have been dumped?”
“A fisherman found him late Friday afternoon. He’d just come off the lake and was apparently picking up trash in the area when he stumbled over Stratton.” His face twisted into a wry smirk. “Literally.”
“Fucking awesome.” I thought that over for a second. Why the hell drop him in Monroe County? It was only half an hour away. “Whoever killed Stratton wanted him to be found. Not right away, but…”
Gray cleared his throat. “That’s not all.”
I lifted a brow and he extracted another photograph. “They performed some…. Surgical work.”
It took me a moment to realize his genitalia had been removed. “So… I’m guessing whoever killed Stratton didn’t approve of his extracurricular activities.”
“That would be my guess.”
My mind spun. I’d initially thought that the unidentified man was an accomplice of Stratton’s. But perhaps I was wrong. “Maybe a family member or friend who found out?”
“We’ve interviewed the people he was in contact with most recently, but nothing came up.”
“A fellow inmate from jail?”
“Possible,” he conceded. “Except this doesn’t really seem like a low-level job. Whoever it was wanted to send a message.”
Dread filled my gut as he passed one last photo my way. My mouth opened, and I snapped it shut again. The first photo had focused on the bullet wound in his cheek; the photo now gave me a full glimpse of his face. Whoever had killed him definitely had not approved of Stratton’s proclivities. Not only had they removed his genitals, but they’d then placed them in his mouth, forever silencing him.
“Well.” I cleared my throat. “Looks like someone wanted to make sure their message was received loud and clear.”
“Yeah.” Gray took the photo and tossed it on his desk. “Guessing this was some sort of justice kill.”
“Could be.” If that was true, then Emery wasn’t in danger. Something had been niggling at the periphery of my brain for the past few days, and the memory of the flowers she’d received in the hospital flashed to the front of my mind. The card had read “my sincerest apologies, and best wishes for a quick recovery.” Who apologized for her being hurt, unless…
Had the killer sent the flowers? It was possible. At that very moment, all I wanted was to see Emery, hold her close, and tell her how much she meant to me.
“Hey.” I flicked a glance at my brother. “I’ve gotta get out of here for a bit. Let me know if something comes up.”
I knew I was shirking my responsibilities, but the smirk that crossed my brother’s face told me he understood completely. I grabbed a couple files off my desk as I passed, then headed home. Emery’s face creased with both surprise and pleasure when I strode through the door twenty minutes later.
“Hey! I didn’t expect you back so soon.” She rose from the couch and made her way toward me as I dropped my phone and keys on the table. “Did you forget something?”
“Just this.” Stooping down, I wrapped my arms under her bottom and lifted her to my chest. Her palms moved to frame my face as her mouth unerringly found mine.
When I finally pulled back, she smiled down at me, a happy flush tingeing her cheek a soft pink. “What was that for?”
I squeezed her gently before I set her back on her feet. “Because I missed you.”
Her head fell back as she let out a tinkling laugh. “You were gone for less than an hour.”
I grinned. “It was an hour too long.”
Her eyes sparkled, and she bounced on her toes. “I have good news! Grace was just here and you’ll never guess what happened.”
Taking her hand, I dropped into a chair, then tugged her over my lap. “What did I miss?”
“Well…” She toyed with the top-most button of my shirt for a second before sliding her gaze up to meet mine. “She loved the cabinet. And in case I haven’t told you recently, thank you. I wouldn’t have been able to do it without you.”
I coasted one hand over her hair, a smile curving my lips. Though it had been a hell of a lot of work, it was one of the best things I’d ever done. It gave me the chance to work side-by-side with Emery and get to know her on a deeper level than I ever imagined. Plus, I’d truly enjoyed it. “You know I don’t mind. I liked it, actually.”
“That’s probably a good thing, because…” She paused for dramatic effect. “Grace wants to hire me!”
“Really?” She nodded, her eyes bright with excitement, and I cupped her face. “Baby, that’s awesome. I’m so happy for you.”
I pulled her to me and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. She was back where she belonged, doing what she loved… Everything was finally falling into place.
Fifty-Four
EMERY
The doorbell rang, sending my pulse skittering wildly. I froze where I was currently curled up in the corner of the couch, a book open in my lap. Ever so slowly I swiveled my head toward the door. Though the offer to stay with the Thornes while Drew was at work was still open, I'd declined. He still called every few hours to check on me, and I was glad to not have someone hovering over my shoulder every second of the day. But now I was starting to regret that decision.
Drew had told me yesterday about Stratton’s body being found in the next county over, and the thought of it still turned my blood to ice. It seemed like the man who had killed him had no intention of coming after me, but who could tell? He'd killed Stratton; what would stop him from tying up all the loose ends?
I almost laughed at myself. Would the killer ring the doorbell when he showed up to take me out? More than likely not. Unfurling my legs from beneath me, I stood and made my way across the room. Through the narrow, frosted pane of glass I could just barely make out the form of a person—a woman, if I wasn't mistaken. The hair was too dark to be Grace, and the person was too tall to be Abby. Who the hell could it be?
Moving to the window, I peered out and my breath caught as the woman came into view. I shuffled toward the door, apprehension gripping me as I slowly turned the knob then swung the door open to face my mother. For several seconds we just stared at each other. Three days ago I had officially filed charges against Alan. Was she here to try to get me to retract my statement?
I stiffened as her gaze swept over me from head to toe before locking on mine again, and her lips turned up in a tiny, awkward smile. “Hey, Emmy.”
“Hey.” I forced a smile of my own. “What brings you by?”
She shifted on her feet, her gaze darting over my shoulder into the house before returning to me. “Can we talk for a second?”
The muscles in my neck and shoulders twitched, but I forced myself to step back and open the door wider. Despite everything she was still my mother, and I couldn't bring myself to cut her out of my life completely. I’d give her the courtesy of listening to whatever she wanted to say. “Come on in.”
“Thanks.” She stepped in and looked around as I closed up.
I gestured toward the couch. “Do you want to sit?”
“Sure.” She sat primly on the edge, and I set my book on the table before taking a seat on the opposite end. I wasn't sure what to say, so I just stayed quiet and waited.
Finally her eyes slashed back to mine. “So, this is where you've been staying.”
I nodded, vaguely surprised she'd cared enough to find out. “Who told you?”
“News around the diner is that you're dating one of the detectives.” She lifted a shoulder. “There were only two options.”
I gave a slow nod but didn't say anything else.
“Is he treating you well?”
My brows lifted. After everything that had transpired with Alan, I couldn't believe she had the gall to doubt Drew's intentions. “Yes,” I replied coldly. “I’m glad to be here, with him. He loves me and keeps me safe,” I said pointedly.
Her chin dropped and her gaze focused on her fingers where they twisted in her lap. “I heard about...” She slid a look my way. “You look like you're healing well.”
“I'm fine.” That was all I had to say on the matter. If she thought she could come in here and judge the situation, then she had another thing coming. I opened my mouth to send her on her way, but the next words out of her mouth stopped me cold.
“I wanted to apologize.” She blew out a breath. “And tell you that Alan’s gone.”
I sat in a sort of stunned silence, watching, just waiting for her to continue. She fidgeted nervously, unwilling to look at me.
“I never should have taken his word over yours.”
You think? I bit back the urge to roll my eyes.
“I asked him about it, but he acted like it was no big deal.” She gave a helpless little shrug. “I knew you didn't like him, so I thought maybe you were just trying to find a way to split us up.”
I studied her for a second. “What changed your mind?”
“When the detective came to the house, I saw how upset he was and worried about you. It was obvious how much he loves you, and I knew that everything you had said about Alan was true. I kicked him out that very night.”
I took a moment to absorb everything she had said. It wasn't nearly enough to eliminate the hurt she’d caused, but it was a start.
“You're right,” I said. “I never liked him. But I would never try to ruin your relationship for no reason.”
She hung her head dejectedly. “I know that. It was selfish of me, and I'm sorry. Ever since your dad left, I've been looking for a man to fill that void. It's not an excuse, but it's true. I became too reliant on trying to find a man to make me feel whole again when I should have focused on you.”
She paused for a second. “I'd really like us to try to move on. Do you think you can forgive me?”
Part of me understood where she was coming from, but it would take a long time for the feelings of betrayal to dissipate. I opened my mouth to say something, but I was saved from responding when the front door swung inward.
Drew appeared in the space, his shrewd green gaze sweeping the room, assessing everything and missing nothing. I saw the slight stiffening of his posture as my mother’s identity registered. He tipped his head her direction in a barely polite greeting, then made his way to my side. Resting one hand protectively on my shoulder, he pressed a kiss to my cheek. I leaned into him, absorbing his strength and love.
My mother watched us for a second, something that looked a lot like regret flashing in her eyes. She met my gaze and forced a small smile, then stood. “I don't want to keep you.”
I followed suit, standing then making my way toward the front door. Drew was close behind, and he held the door for my mother as she left. She paused in the doorway, then tossed one small smile our way before escaping.
Drew closed up and turned to me, a single dark eyebrow arching toward his hairline. “Should I even ask?”
I shrugged. “She wanted to apologize. Said she kicked Alan out.”
His lips pressed into a thin line, and I read his thoughts: too little, too late. Sliding my hands around Drew's waist, I leaned into him and pressed my cheek to his chest. I could hear his heart beating next to my ear as he wrapped me in his strong arms and held me tight. A feather-light kiss brushed across the top of my head. “How are you doing?”
