Chapter Thirty-Three
Bhodi
Four months ago…
Rounding the corner and following the echoing sounds of gunshots, I hold my gun steady in my hands as both Jimmy and I push the doors of the warehouse open. As the final body falls to the ground, blood spraying across the walls, I look down towards the multiple men who lay dead at our feet. Taking a step away from the pooling blood, I look to Callaghan and the SWAT captain who both holster their weapons.
“The commissioner didn’t want anyone brought in.”
Callaghan shrugs. “He doesn’t need the publicity nor the press digging into this.”
“So you just fucking killed them all?” I snap.
“Yeah, Bhodi, it ends here. No more fucking about, we take them all out and rid the NYPD of all this corruption.”
Callaghan’s neck snaps towards me, the anger radiating from him whilst he steps over the dead bodies littered across the floor. “We bring them in for questioning, they start getting picked off one by one by whoever is left still trying to cover their own ass. This way innocent people stay safe and these fucking rats are dead.”
I feel my eye twitch, but I couldn’t agree more, I just wish I’d had more of a heads up instead of walking head first into a massacre. Shouting and sobs eventually crawl through the dark space, the SWAT captain dragging Luca by his collar along with another officer, as they hold him upright. They eventually throw him onto his knees in front of me.
“You were right, Bhodi; he came for the evidence.”
He nods. “The commissioner said this one was yours.”
He gives a small salute and makes his way out of the warehouse, leaving Callaghan looking towards the carnage.
“You can’t …You can’t fucking..”
Luca begins to shout, but with the butt of my gun I hit him as hard as I can across the head. He lands on the saturated floor with a loud thud as even the sound of his voice causes my blood to boil, not wanting to ever hear that voice again.
“Shut the fuck up, you deceitful cunt,”
I mutter, observing his knocked-out body laying limp across the concrete.
“He’s all yours.”
Callaghan slaps me on the back, letting out a heavy sigh and begins to leave.
“What happens now?” I ask.
Callaghan turns to me and for a moment he looks blank, before shrugging. “Take up golf, I dunno? You’re officially retired, Detective, take it easy.”
Hesitating for a moment, a seriousness settles between us. “This will never come back to any of you, if it wasn’t for your help then all hell would have broken loose. It ends today.”
He smiles before leaving Jimmy and me.
“I didn’t expect that,”
Jimmy mumbles, stepping over Luca.
“Well, I guess it’s a hell of a lot easier than it all coming out and dealing with that fall out.”
“Imagine the number of criminals coming forward claiming an unfair trial.”
“Always the lawyer.” I smirk.
Tightening the flexi cuffs around Luca’s wrists and feet, we haul his sorry ass towards the van. Axe makes his way down the stairs with his rifle over his shoulder.
“Guess the commissioner had other ideas.”
He looks towards the warehouse, as the remaining SWAT officers and Callaghan begin to douse the entire property in gasoline.
“Guess so.”
Throwing the body into the van, we waste little time and get back onto the road. I spend the drive just staring at the GPS, watching each minute pass by, my fingers twitching every now and then, ignoring Luca’s garbled pleas through the gag. It takes everything in me not to pull over and set him on fire, leaving him alone and fucking terrified along the side of the road, but I don’t want him, I made a deal with the devil which I intend to keep, even if I have to wait for it.
When the few never-ending days pass, the sun slowly begins to rise over the rocky mountains. With nothing but sandy desert in front of us, I begin to feel like I’m lost in a nightmare. Exhaustion crawls over my body and mind, locking me into a tight vice, my heavy eyes needing to close before a further madness begins to settle in.
“There, ahead.”
Axe leans in from the back, pointing towards two black SUVs in the distance.
Jimmy continues, the van eventually approaching our target. With all guns pointed at us, a familiar face eventually steps from the waiting cars, gesturing for his men to lower their weapons. He confidently begins to approach us. Jimmy shuts off the ignition and lets out a heavy sigh as we all step out into the thick heat.
“You have him?”
Carlos asks, a single brow raised, almost in surprise.
“In the back.”
I gesture to the van.
As a devious snake-like smirk slithers across his face, he rubs his hands slowly together. Cocking his head towards his men, they proceed towards the van, swinging the doors open before dragging a weak Luca from the van and through the sand. As his eyes adjust towards the sun, his face pales as he spots the multitude of gang tattoos circling him. His jaw falls open, his eyes darting to every corner as he’s dragged to the waiting car.
His sobs and pleas echo across the valley, a true deep fear embedded in his sobs for mercy, the once powerful man of New York City is now nothing more than a fly caught in the dangerous spider’s web. I feel nothing as he’s pulled away to his gruesome death, Carlos’s family wants revenge for the murder of their daughter and sister, I’m not going to stand in their way, too many lives have been ruined by his greed, deceit, predatory behaviour and his needs for power but it ends now. Luca Bernardi will become a lost soul within the New York City underworld, a ghost story you tell children, but he’ll never harm anyone ever again, never inflict fear on a soul. He’ll be nothing, but a cautionary tale to warn those about the dangers of assuming you’re infallible.
The car door closes behind him, his fearful cries begin to go silent, and Carlos turns to me, holding his hand out.
“The deal stands, when I find Harry we’ll let you know.”
“We got word he was heading for Mexico, police found a dead body not long ago, some forger. Both Harry and Monica were seen fleeing the scene.”
My shoulders further deflate. “He’s been declared legally dead, no one apart from us, the commissioner and a trusted Medical Examiner know the truth. He’ll lie low until he gets word that he’s gotten away with it.”
“We’ll be looking.”
“He’s got a serious drug habit; you’ll find him soon enough.”
“And the mother, what happens to her?”
I still for a moment, looking past Carlos and towards the mountains. I run the scenario through my mind, but no matter how cruel and evil this woman is, how deceitful and manipulative she is, she’s still Summer’s mother, she still gave birth to her, raised her to a degree, but taking her life feels too easy, too simple and far more than she deserves.
“She can rot in a Mexican prison until the day she dies.”
“Wow, hate mother-in-law that much, huh?”
Carlos smirks. “That can be arranged, I’m owed a few favours.”
We all shake hands, our cars beginning to pull away. We become strangers once again, the dust begins to settle in the rearview mirror, the distance of the vehicles growing and we make our way back home.
Present Day…
I watch with intent, as Summer’s eyes fill with tears, her delicate hand trembling in mine. Her wedding dress flowing against the gentle breeze of the desert. She opens her mouth momentarily before snapping it shut, her eyes fall to the floor whilst she processes what I have just told her.
“Where is she now?”
Summer stutters slightly
“Arrested a few days ago, found with cocaine and the murder weapon that killed the local chief of police.”
“Someone was killed?”
She steps away.
“A bad man, with a predilection for young girls.”
My eyes narrow on Summer. “Two bad people were taken off the streets, see it as a win-win for all.”
“What will happen to her?”
“Exactly what she deserves. Her life stripped of money, luxuries and safety. She’ll spend the rest of her life rotting away in squalor, which is the least she deserves.”
“Why didn’t I hear about this?”
“Jimmy received a call as your lawyer, I told him to confirm you’re estranged and that you want nothing to do with her.”
She blinks a couple times; a blank anger touches across her face. “You had no right to take that choice from me, Bhodi.”
“I didn’t, but I also didn’t want her toxic and manipulative lies guilting you.”
I place my hands on her cheeks, keeping her focus on me. “She watched you get abused, beaten and ridiculed by Harry, all the while sleeping with him behind your back, you owe her fuck all. She deserves the hell she gets; she deserves worse than this.”
I say the words firmly and clearly, watching as Summer takes it all in, coming to her own realisation of the cruelty she’s been placed through by these two evil people.
Her hands close over mine, her expression haunted by the truth I’ve revealed to her and I can feel my heart begin to beat faster, an unknown anxiety pumping through me. Eventually a small smile curls her pouty lips, she nods gently.
“Thank you, Bhodi,”
she whispers. “Thank you for protecting me from her.”
The relief rains down on me, I let out the breath I was holding in.
“I’ll always protect you, Summer, always.”
She smiles sweetly towards me, nodding her head slightly. Taking her hand in mine, I lace my fingers with hers, leading her closer towards the barn. I can’t help but admire her dress, the way it sways around her body, hugs around her hips and small waist. I feel my hands begin to flex, the desire to tear the lace away from her body, the shredding sound ringing through my ears as she cries with pleasure.
The door begins to near and I feel her stop, she looks towards me and back to the door. Hesitating slightly, she turns to me.
“What about Harry? Where is he?”
Pushing the door open, I see the body shaking in the chair exactly where I left him, shaking in fear. A sheen of cold sweat coating his skin, as the end of his life nears. Summer’s grip on my hand tightens, her eyes widen as they roam the scene before her.
“I don’t like sharing my toys, but…everyone should see something beautiful before they die.”
She remains fixed on Harry, the eerie scene before her. I hear the low breath escape her lips as she turns to me. Those deep sapphire eyes burning bright, as a wicked flicker dances between us. Rising to her tiptoes, her nails skim against my chest, the goosebumps rising all over my skin with just the simplest touch.
“Then don’t be gentle.”
I inhale her sultry voice.
“I won’t.” I smirk.