Chapter 32
THIRTY-TWO
Allison
Ten Days Later
“How did the conversation with the detective go?” Luke asks Garett as they both sip whiskey from crystal tumblers.
This is the first time I’ve been out of the house in nearly a week and a half.
We’ve been in hiding since the news of my murder broke.
It was surreal watching the news coverage of my own murder.
Pictures of my face flashed across the screen with details of the brutal beating and body dump.
Catie, Erik, Susan, and my other coworkers lamented my loss in front of news cameras and I watched from the comfort of Garett’s leather couch.
It’s been a bit surreal. I obviously couldn’t run out to grab a coffee or some groceries with the police investigating my murder.
Two days ago, they arrested Brody for my murder.
The Skagit County Police Captain gave a press conference explaining the evidence that led them straight to my dear husband—the evidence we planted, of course.
The twisted sense of pride and excitement I felt watching a raging Brody being led away in handcuffs was criminal.
“She’s definitely suspicious, but she doesn’t have enough to prove anything,” Garett says before taking another swig of his amber liquid. The ice cubes clink in the glass as he sets it back down on the stone countertop. “Plus, they seem pretty certain Brody is their guy.”
A few days ago, Garett had to speak to the lead detective on my case, some Pierce lady from the police department south of us.
Skagit County took the lead on the case, since that’s where the body was dumped, apparently.
I was nervous the entire time, anxiously pacing our home.
When he returned, he made it pretty clear she knew more about us than he ever anticipated her finding out, and we needed to wrap things up here and get out of town.
With Brody arrested for my murder, there’s just one piece left to fall. Which is why we’re here tonight.
“They’re not letting him get away with it.
” Luke shrugs as he twirls his glass against the counter.
The sleeves of his white button down are rolled up, revealing corded forearms. He’s completely free of any tattoos.
Much more professional looking than Garett, but in the short time I’ve known Luke, I can tell he’s just as depraved and desperate as the rest of us.
He’s still a demon, just with a better mask.
“He’s already guilty in the eyes of the media.
This is too high profile for them to not get a conviction. ”
Luke is a lawyer, Garett told me. He works at some big firm downtown. It seems fitting that he plays the game of false justice. I’m starting to wonder if anyone is truly what they seem to be.
“Pretty little white girl from a well-off family gets murdered,” Liv says as she strolls into the kitchen from somewhere beyond. Their house is an old gothic style mansion that’s been renovated. It’s closed off and kind of creepy. “Of course, the media pays attention.”
She flashes me a sardonic smile. Her pink hair is pulled up in two high pigtails today, and she’s wearing a cropped white shirt with fishnets and cut-off shorts. She looks like some chaotic character out of a movie. I’m not too proud to admit that I’m a little scared of her.
“No mention of Erika in any media coverage that you saw either?” Garett asks Luke.
Liv smacks Luke on the ass as she walks past before grabbing a healthy splash of whiskey for herself from the bottle and downing it. Luke watches her with amusement flicking across his face. It’s clear that their dynamic works for them, whatever it is.
“Where’s your pet?” Luke asks her, completely ignoring Garett’s question, his sole focus now on the woman next to him.
“Recovering,” Liv responds coyly with a small shrug. “She was naughty earlier and needed to be punished.”
The two of them smirk at each other, completely lost in whatever mutual understanding they’re sharing with one another.
It’s sweet almost, the way they are so entirely consumed by one another that the rest of the world seems to melt away into the background.
I wonder if one day Garett and I will be so in tune.
The sound of Luke’s phone vibrating against the stone countertop breaks through the intimacy of the moment. We all stare at one another, eyes flitting through the silent room.
Hesitantly Luke moves to pick up the phone. The screen lights up with an unknown number, but none of us are fooled, we all know exactly who’s on the other end of the line.
“Hello,” Luke says questioningly as he presses the button to put the phone on speaker.
“Lucky Lucas.” The voice that fills the room is smooth as smoke. Each one of us recoils slightly. Liv’s hand shakes so badly she had to set down her glass.
“What do you want, Will?” Luke’s tone drips with annoyance.
“Oh Lucas, is that anyway to speak to your big brother?” I watch as Luke’s jaw clenches and his fingers ball into a fist. “I remember a time when you used to be such a good boy, begging for it on your knees as I strok—“”
“Enough!” Luke roars. His fist hits the stone countertop with such force that the glasses clink. Liv flinches, clearly uncomfortable. Instinctively, I move closer to Garett who takes the opportunity to wrap his arms around me, pulling my back to his front. “What the fuck do you want?”
There’s a long pause. It’s unsettling to sit in the discomforting silence, just waiting for the ball to drop. It feels as though my entire body is thrumming with electric unease.
“You thought I wouldn’t notice that she was gone?” Will’s voice is suddenly colder, more serious. “You took my toy.”
My gaze flits to Liv who’s gone ghostly pale.
She seems to shake in fear just from his voice.
My heart breaks watching her reaction. It’s a visceral type of response that I recognize all too well.
No woman deserves that type of instinctual insecurity—we’re too strong, too powerful, too smart for that type of conditioned fear.
“What do you want, Will?” Luke repeats.
“I’m not pleased with recent events, brother.
” The way he says the last word makes my skin crawl.
I snuggle deeper into Garett’s comforting embrace.
“First, my toy is stolen, my other plaything is disposed of…” We all stare at one another with the reference to Erika, wondering just exactly what Will knows.
“Now, a different woman is pronounced dead and my…associate is arrested for said murder.” Will sounds downright villainous as he speaks.
This is the monster I’ve been warned about; the one who strikes fear in those that have truly seen what he becomes in the darkness.
“What kind of game are you playing? Why try to steal from me when you know that I’ll punish you for taking what belongs to me? ”
“She was never yours to—” Luke’s retort is cut short when a curvy figure strolls into the room and grabs the phone off the stone countertop.
“Listen up, asshole,” Celeste snaps into the phone.
“She’s not your toy. She’s not a pawn in whatever fucked up game you think you’re playing.
She’s a beautiful, strong, kick-ass woman.
She believed in me and fought for me when no one else would.
” She leans over the counter, her T-shirt riding up and exposing a sliver of pale skin above her jeans.
Her dark hair falls in loose waves down her face, but it’s her eyes that are so striking—the hazel irises are filled with fiery gold flecks that seem to glow with intensity. “You want her back? Come and get her.”
Will’s cold laughter comes through the receiver, but Celeste doesn’t falter. She continues as if completely unaware of his response. “But you’ll have to go through me to get to her, and I’m not giving up my girl without a motherfucking fight.”
I follow Celeste’s gaze toward Liv. She’s standing taller, more confidently, with her shoulders thrown back. She smiles at her girlfriend as Luke comes to stand beside her, linking her fingers with his own.
“You know where to find us,” Luke states into the phone, getting the final word, before hitting the end call button.
We all sit in silence for a moment, contemplating what just happened and what’s to come. Eventually, I turn my head to the side to stare up at Garett. He smiles down at me but I have a feeling that this is the beginning of the end, a goodbye lingers between us.
“Will he come?” I ask eventually.
“He will.” Garett nods.
“So, what do we do?” I question as fear unfurls in my core.
“We get ready,” Celeste says from across the room. My head snaps toward her. She stands up, determination on her face. “And I know where we start.”