Chapter Eight
When they left, Kelly went over to Shay and just hugged him. She rested her ear on his chest and caught the sound of his heartbeat. She closed her eyes and just stood there listening to it.
Shay just hugged her back and set his chin on the top of her head. “It’s gonna be okay, babe. I promise. If they start trouble, I will show them trouble. You, Char and Rosie are gonna be just fine.”
“I hope so. I really don’t want to give birth to this baby inside the joint,” she whispered. “That would just break my heart, knowing I couldn’t keep my child safe.”
Shay growled at her summation.
She looked up at him and raised her forefinger to cover his lips.
“You just hush... I admit that I didn’t think about the baby being caught up in this mess.
I immediately told Char I would help her.
I should have thought about...” She sighed then went on, “You know that all my life, my mom was the only one who ever gave a damn about me. That’s no secret and I’ve come to accept it.
Back then, Char was the only real family I had.
Until I met the boys and realized there are families that do not have to be blood.
I want this baby and I know you do too. That’s already more than I ever had before.
I’ve tried and tried to be more than my family ever cared about and I’ve made it.
But I am on that video beating that man with a baseball bat so these charges may not just go away.
I mean it was still assault. Just please don’t give up on us? That’s all I can ask.”
“Damnit Kelly, you aren’t going to prison.
I don’t care what you did. Yeah, you beat a man with a baseball bat but only after he attacked you with his hands around your throat.
Then he hit you and that is on tape as well.
But like Rosie said, he deserved everything you gave him and so much more.
To use her very words, he was nothing but a monster. ”
“It still might—” She began but was interrupted by a sudden pounding on the front door.
Shay grabbed his weapon and went to the door, opening it.
Pappy and Trudy stood there.
Pappy rolled his eyes at the sight of Shay holding a weapon pointed at his gut. “Put that away. There’s no one on this side of the fence that’s gonna hurt anyone in this house,” Pappy informed him.
“What the hell do you want me to do, Stone?” Shay growled. “Recent events has this whole house on alert.”
Trudy came in holding a laptop in her hands. “I need to ask your guests some questions again. And I have to show them something that’s very relevant to the case.”
Kelly joined them and asked, “What is it?”
Trudy shook her head. “I’d rather show it to everyone at the same time. I need to see your faces.”
Char came down the hall and Rosie followed her.
“What’s going on?” Char asked.
Trudy walked to the kitchen and set her laptop on the table. “I got into Olivia’s home security cameras and I found this...” She turned her monitor around and the screen showed a living room with a man sitting on a couch.
When she saw this, Rosie gasped and took a step backward.
Char just stared at the monitor and slowly covered her mouth with her hand.
Kelly felt a cold spot in her belly and she slowly raised her gaze to Shay. “He’s still alive? How is that possible? The police showed us a tape of some woman slicing his throat.”
The monitor showed a picture of Ty Regis sitting on one of Olivia’s couches. He looked bruised up while wearing a neck brace but he was very much alive and well. He was also holding a short glass of what looked like whiskey and it had a straw in it.
“That lowdown motherfucker!” Char shouted. “He’s still alive? Maybe not looking so good but he’s still alive. He faked the whole death scene and that evil bitch was behind the whole thing.”
Shay just stared at the monitor while his fingers clenched into fists.
He saw the black and blue marks on the man’s face and torso.
He too, noted the neck brace and when Ty opened his mouth there were wires holding his jaw in place.
.. hence, the straw in the whiskey glass.
Then he studied the man’s eyes. They were cold and expressionless and at first glance he knew what kind of man this was.
The day before yesterday, he was dead, he’d been beaten and had his throat slit. But now he was sitting in a mansion, resting comfortably on a leather sofa while drinking whiskey.
Shay slowly raised his head and glared at Pappy. He got his phone out and snapped a photo. He then sent it to Skeeter and Grizzly with a name attached to the photo. Ty Regis.
Grizzly called back immediately and snapped, “What the fuck is this?”
“That is a home surveillance photo taken in the living room of Olivia Barron’s house,” Shay said in a calm voice belying what he felt inside. “They are framing my wife for a crime that never happened.”
Pappy’s eyes went wide and Trudy slowly raised her head. They knew that tone in Shay’s voice. That was his pissed as hell, get on the chopper and launch a fucking missile voice. They almost felt sorry for whoever was on the other end.
“I don’t care what you have to do,” Shay went on in an even, quiet tone.
“But you get a squad to that house and bust in the front door before they get away. You put Olivia, Victor and Ty in chains. Then you raid all their businesses and start arresting every single one of their associates.” Shay growled.
“There’s enough evidence to make the arrests and by the time they go to jail, we’ll have the rest. Confiscate their computers and phones.
Have a forensic expert go through everything with a fine-tooth comb. I want their asses nailed to a wall.”
“Man., I can understand your rage. I really can. Kelly was in harm’s way for sure,” Grizzly stated.
“This is also for Char and Rosie. Along with their parents. Those pricks killed them. Victor admitted to messing with the scaffolding that fell apart when their dad died and he took the girls away after beating Vanessa unconscious. When she came back from the hospital she knew the kind of life her daughters would have. Plus, the knowledge that her own damn brother killed her husband... that’s what killed her. She died of a broken heart.”
“Sweet Jesus, Shay I get it,” Grizzly muttered under his breath.
“We are almost there now. This will all go down within the hour. On the other end, we picked Detective Burrios up this morning or should I say Mr. Fake-Badge. He fought us all the way too. Might have a few bruises, busted jaw and a black eye from resisting arrest. But he’s in custody and on his way to the nearest Marshal’s office.
We got the poor little wife too and she was not in good shape.
Man, where do they breed these foul monsters at?
” Grizzly paused, then asked, “I already knew you would want me and Skeeter to go to KC personally and oversee their arrests.”
Shay smiled but it held no glee. “You know me so well, Grizzly.”
“And I will send you a gift as well,” Grizzly commented.
“Thanks man. Keep me updated. I know three women that will be relieved as hell.”
“You got that right, brother,” Grizzly agreed.
The call ended.
Shay looked over at Char, Rosie and Kelly. “Grizzly and Skeeter are going to Olivia’s house and they are dragging all three of them back in custody. You don’t have to see them at all but they will never hurt you girls again. You are going to get your lives back.”
Char sat there looking stunned then she asked, “Can I punch her? Just once. Maybe sneak a bat in and clock her sideways?”
Pappy chuckled.
Trudy just shook her head.