Chapter 35
Benjamin lifted Catalina onto the gurney, while Buffy and Ryder rolled it down the hallway to lift it into the Scanguards-owned ambulance.
While he wanted to ride back to headquarters with Catalina, he knew it was more important that he stayed here, where he was useful.
At the clinic, Buffy and Maya would make sure that Catalina had everything she needed to make it through the transformation. He would join her there soon.
Anita stood in front of the door to the dining room.
“Where are you holding them?” he asked.
“The Prestons are in the dining room, the judge is in the kitchen with your brother and Lydia.”
He opened the door to the dining room and entered. Sebastian and Ethan stood near the door, while James and Elizabeth Preston sat on chairs, handcuffed behind their backs.
They snapped their gazes to him.
“This is outrageous,” James yelled. “I demand you uncuff us! We’re the victims here! That woman broke into our house and tried to kill us! I had every right to defend myself and my wife!”
Benjamin scoffed. “So you’re going with self-defense. Yeah, nobody’s gonna buy that, particularly not when I show them how you framed Santiago, Catalina’s brother. Remember him?”
“He robbed us!” Elizabeth piped up. “He was a thief, and he was convicted.”
“Because you produced a fake security video,” Benjamin shot back, furious that they were still trying to pretend that they were the good guys.
“That’s a lie!” James cried out.
In less than a second, Benjamin was only an inch away from him, growling low and dark. James shrank back, startled.
“You shot the woman I love in cold blood after your good friend Judge Norton got her out of prison and brought her here. I know exactly what you were planning. It’s not really rocket science.
So tell me if I’m right: you planned to claim that she escaped from jail and broke in here in order to kill you and your wife out of revenge for her brother. Am I close?”
“I want my lawyer,” James spat.
“He’ll be busy with all the charges we’ve got against you. Want me to list them?”
Defiantly, James lifted his chin, his lips pressed together. His wife didn’t look any more cooperative either, though in her eyes he could see a glint of dread.
“Attempted murder of Catalina Vargas, and if she doesn’t make it, murder.
Conspiracy, obstruction of justice, tampering with evidence, perverting the course of justice, kidnapping, insurance fraud, because for all I know, that pretty necklace is still sitting in your safe.
Don’t worry, we’ll get a warrant to search your house so it all holds up in court. ”
He directed his gaze to Elizabeth. “Oh, and the same charges go for you too.”
“I didn’t shoot anybody!” she protested.
Benjamin let out a bitter chuckle and glanced back at James.
“Looks like your wife is ready to throw you under the bus. But don’t worry.
I’ll make sure the D.A. won’t offer any plea deals to either of you.
No, you’ll face a jury. And once they hear about how you tried to destroy two young people who never did anything wrong but be born poor, they’ll dole out the right punishment. ”
He let out an angry breath. “If we didn’t need you alive so Santiago’s guilty verdict will be overturned without delay, I know exactly what I would do with the two of you.”
He glared at them and allowed his vampire side to emerge. His vision tinted red, and his fangs pushed past his lips.
The Prestons gasped in horror.
“Help!” Elizabeth screamed, clearly appealing to Anita and the others in the room.
But they ignored her. They knew not to interfere. This was his moment, the only chance he got at taking his own revenge on what they had done to Catalina. What they had forced him to do to her. To turn her into a creature she was scared of. It was only right that they would be scared too.
“You should pray for a long sentence, because while you’re rotting in prison, you’re safe from me. And don’t even bother to apply for bail until your trial date, because if you’re not in prison, I can get to you, and I will. And once I do, you’ll wish you were dead.”
He snarled, and both of them shrieked.
“Good. I’m glad we understand each other.”
He turned on his heel and looked at Anita.
“They’re all yours. Is the chief on his way?”
She nodded. “He and two squad cars should be here in the next few minutes. Forensics are also on their way.”
“Thanks.”
He left the dining room and marched to the kitchen, where his twin brother and Lydia had handcuffed Judge Norton. He sat on a bench and looked up.
“Do you have anything to say for yourself?”
“I want a lawyer,” he said.
Benjamin shrugged. “You’ll need one. I’m sure you know what you’ll be indicted for, so I’m not gonna waste my time telling you.
We’ll find the guard who helped you spring Catalina from jail, and he’ll go down with you.
Just so you know, the D.A. will be instructed not to offer any plea deals.
I hope whatever you got from the Prestons was worth ruining your life for. ”
“I have information, evidence. I can testify,” he hastened to say, changing his tune in an instant.
“I don’t care. We have all the evidence we need. How old are you? Sixty-two? Sixty-three? You’ll die in prison. I’ll make sure of it.”
“But—”
Benjamin slapped him across the face with the back of his hand, whipping his head to the side. Blood seeped from his nose, and he groaned in pain.
“Did I tell you to speak?” he growled, his fangs extending.
“Bro,” Damian said, putting his hand on Benjamin’s forearm. “I can take care of him. I’ll make it look like he resisted arrest. Why don’t you go to the clinic? You don’t need to be here. We’ll deal with the police and forensics.”
Slowly, Benjamin nodded. His brother was right; he didn’t need to be here.
He needed to be with Catalina, even if there was nothing he could do for her right now.
At least at her bedside, he could watch over her and pray that she would make it.
And hope that she would forgive him for the new life he’d forced upon her.