“You think that excuse is going to save your ass?”
“I’m speaking my truth.”
Reveca nearly laughed. “It’s gotten that bad hasn’t it? You have been doing this shit for so long, speaking nothing but lies constantly, that now you don’t even know the difference.”
He leaned back in his seat. “You didn’t kill Newberry. We already have a confession.”
Reveca lifted a brow. “Yet I’m still sitting here and you still pulled that kid in for the fuck of it.”
He grunted and adjusted the way he was sitting. The tiniest of sweat beads were brushed across his brow, frustration reddening his cheeks. “When someone’s prints pop on a weapon involved in a murder, and when someone else screams before several officers they committed a murder, then yes they’re going to end up sitting where you are, but apparently whatever bitch fit you threw set the kid free for now.”
“Forever,” Reveca said with a nod, making sure her words were underlined.
He shifted his head side to side, his eyes glassing over with some kind of manic anger. “Someone is going to have to go down for all of this, Miss Beauregard. It’s as simple as that. You’re just like your mother defending this Club with your last breath.”
“Thank you.”
He squinted as if her words were daggers. “That wasn’t a compliment. She ended up in a grave and you are on your way there as well.”
“That your plan? Kill me? Can’t frame me for murder, so do it the hard way? The way that gets your hands dirty and gives you nightmares at night because your pretty damn sure I’m a witch, a real one, not the dime store ones that were murdered for the hell of it. You’re not sure that you really can kill me, at least do so and not walk away with a curse.”
There it was, a flicker of fear in his eyes. She was right. In some way he was afraid of her; part of him was. The other part called bullshit on the idea of witches, of anything out of the ordinary. It was all tourist bullshit, none of it real, even though he had witnessed enough to state otherwise. Denial was the only defense he had left at this point.
He leaned forward. “Someone has to go down for this. It was clear from day one the murders of your friends were retaliation for someone in your gang killing Newberry, the Devil’s Den’s cook.”
Reveca smirked. He said it so coolly. The way he always talked about her mother’s murder, as if he were the good guy, just trying to help out.
“It stems from drugs, all of this it comes from drugs and the money that makes and sells those drugs.” He leaned back. “No one cares about the murders of junkie wannabe witches. They don’t care about thugs being killed in their lairs. And the only sorry ass that cares about some old lady biting a bullet is you.”
Reveca flinched, feeling a stab of grief hitting her, and he grinned.
“They care about the drugs, the busts, ones that have been in play for a while. Investigations cost money to conduct. And oddly the Sons have always stayed a step ahead of every one we place over their operation.”
“Drugs like the one the crow took from you at my property? Is that what you’re talking about?”
A sick smile came to his face. “Blackmail. I haven’t forgotten you have that on me and it’s the reason I’m talking to you now. It’s the reason that you’re still in this room and not looking at bars.”
He shifted in his seat. “When we charge you with Newberry’s murder we’re going to process you, and when we do we’ll have your prints. I have a suspicion that your prints will match the ones on the forty-five also found with this twenty-two…so instead of you going down for some stupid case of killing a dead man you will go down for the cold blooded murder of four innocent people along with arson.”
“That how you see it?” She lifted her brow. “I have some damn fine lawyers that will argue that Holden lived on my property. The chances of me touching his gun at any time were good, and when GranDee was murdered I was at a public racing. I’m sure there were cameras there.”
Blackwater’s upper lip twitched. “Well thought out, almost as if you were expecting the connection I just made.”
“I can see you coming from a mile away, Blackwater. You can take that comment to the bank.”
The grin on his face was cold. There was not a doubt in Reveca’s mind he was thinking that Reveca didn’t know about who laid Maren Beauregard down. He was thinking he had fooled her for years and was surely going to do it again. Witch or not, she was going to be handled once and for all.
“Maybe, and even if your lawyers are as good as you say, if your bank account is as full as I’m sure it is, I’m going to ensure this process is going to be long and hard. You will spend time behind bars, caged like an animal. You ready for that? You think your tough attitude will win you favors in there? You think you deserve it? Are you that stubborn? Why go through all that? You’re too young to throw your life away.”
“You almost sound sad about that, Blackwater.”
He let out sigh, wiped his brow, and glared at her. “I am because you’re innocent.”
“Good, now that we have that cleared up, get me the fuck out of here.”
He moved his head side to side. “You should have just let it be, let the Club run as it always had.”
“Odd thing for a lawman to say.”
He laughed. “Yeah, I suppose it is. And I have to give you credit, you did clean up your mother’s house, but you fell in a different trap.”
“Which one would that be?” Reveca asked at length with an unreadable expression.
“Letting a man play you for a fool as he made money off your Club.”
Reveca laughed. “This is the part where you try to get me to flip on my Club, you tell me that you can make all this hell go away, disappear, and what you can’t make go away you will ensure my sentence is as light as possible if I just turn.”
“Yep.”
“Not going to happen, Blackwater. Ever. You want someone, then you’re going to have to take all your bullshit evidence that makes no sense and try and make it stick to me. Good luck.”
He stared for a minute then spoke. “It looked tense between you and Talon at the lot when we took in Bastion.”
“Wasting your breath,” she said, moving her eyes away from him.
“I kept thinking about the girl that was picked up not far from your place, the one who got the shit beat out of her. You think that now she knows you can’t hurt her that she’ll talk to her counselors and tell them what she knows about your Club, of course after we make her feel safe as possible?”
“Go for it,” Reveca said in a quiet tone, still keeping her eyes down.
Blackwater let out a sigh. “What happened? You finally figure out that Talon was fucking girls on the side while he was running drugs and using your Club as a front?”
“You want to try a new angle? This one is already old, Blackwater,” Reveca said, looking up at him.
Right then Reveca saw Talon walk by with several lawmen. He wasn’t in cuffs, but it was clear they were leading him. The look in his eyes was cold, uncaring as he glanced to Reveca and then kept walking.
Blackwater had followed Reveca’s stare then looked right back at her. “Oh yeah, we’re questioning Talon. He’s pissed that we pulled his girlfriend in.”
Reveca smirked.
“I’m not talking about you, sweetheart,” Blackwater said with a tilt of his head.
Reveca did her best to make sure the shocked look on her face was not overkill, and that it still fit the unapproachable expression she was maintaining.
“I’m serious,” Blackwater said. “That man has played you from the gate. He saw an innocent girl that just lost her mother, trying to run a Boneyard that she was not tough enough to run, and he stepped right in. I’m sure he played his part for a while, helped you clean up, and got you nice and distracted. He let you think you were living a clean life, and then he set his business in place. Then he began his affairs with more women than you could ever imagine.”
> “I’ve always admired your imagination, Blackwater,” Reveca said in a vacant tone—one that was absent of the fight she always had with him.
He held her stare as he reached in his suit pocket and pulled out an envelope. When he opened it he let the pictures fall out.
“We always have a cover on him, always. We know what he’s doing, what clinics he goes to, how often, like clockwork, and we know why.”
Reveca looked down at the images on the table. Amber was in Talon’s arms. She was against a brick wall, he was pressed against her, his hands on her hips. The images kept moving forward. She saw his hands on her face, cradling it like a lover hiding a stolen kiss.
“That was their tragic goodbye. You must have sensed something to cause him to send her away,” Blackwater said, grinning as he saw the fury wash over Reveca, as he saw her skin blush, a sick glint to her eyes.
“We found her though, thought we’d have a chat. He’s really protective of her. Didn’t show up at the station until she did.” Blackwater paused. “He didn’t seem to give a damn about you being here, not one. Why is that? Does he have you trained just right? Does he know you’re nothing but a love sick girl that will protect him at all costs?” He lifted his chin. “If you think Amber is the only one, that this hasn’t been going on for years, you’re not as smart as I thought you were.”
Blackwater watched as Reveca tried to mask her expression and kept pushing. He placed the most intimate images of Talon right before her. “Does he look at you like that?”
Reveca didn’t say a word.
“The wheels are turning aren’t they? You’re thinking about where you thought he was all those times his excuses didn’t add up. You’re thinking about all the secrets he got you to cover, thinking about how without him in your life none of this would have happened. Your friends would be alive, and you would be doing your best to keep your garage up and running.”
He waited for Reveca to say something, watched as she fidgeted with her hands, watched that rage build in her eyes.
“You will go down for one of these murders, one way or another we will get you for one. His woman, Amber. She’s not flipping on Talon. We’ve had her for eight hours and the only time she cried was she saw him, when he nearly broke the door down to get to her. You’re going to go away and that girl is going to be in your spot, in your bed, running your business while he keeps on.”
“You’re lying.”
Blackwater pulled out his phone. “We let them see each other. Thought it might be interesting, give us some insight.”
As he hit play Reveca heard Amber crying.
“It’s going to be okay,” Talon said in his deep, sweet voice. “This is just a step just like we talked about. You know I’m not going to let anyone hurt you. We’ll be home before you know it.”
“I’m so scared,” Amber said, her voice soft and fragile sounding.
There were breaths heard, and Reveca could have sworn she heard a kiss, then a sigh. “It’s almost over, just like we talked about, the forever you want is here,” Talon promised.
Blackwater hit end on his phone.
“I’m not fabricating this shit, Miss Beauregard.” Sympathy filled his eyes. “I do feel sorry for you. It’s got to hurt. I’m sure you saw it coming, though. You’re a smart woman.” He lifted his chin. “It’s about time you and me start working together. You flip on Talon for running the drugs, and the rest of this goes away.”
Reveca sat stock still.
“They’re right there,” Blackwater said, nodding to the wall to his right. “Him and her. I bet he’s holding her right now. They are about to be questioned on your involvement with these murders. Asked what they know about your motive.” Blackwater let his upper lip twitch before he went on. “I know this is your mother’s business, that you keep it alive for her memory, that to you it’s a family, something you would stand fiercely before…but what are you to Talon? Do you think he’d do the same for you? Or do think he’s ready to push you out, slide a new girl in until she’s get old, too.”
Reveca looked down. She’d been listening, not really to him but those around her in the building. Mathis had arrived not long ago. He was looking for Reveca as his commanding officer tailed him, as he ranted that this was all bullshit—he was almost to her now.
Better late than never Reveca thought.
“You think you’re going to come in here and say all this shit and I’m going to turn just like that after I held you off for years, put up with your shit, your cat and mouse games and one little cheating motherfucker is going to make me flip, run into your arms?”
Blackwater was edging back. During Reveca’s rant she had stood. Her body was shaking, as was her voice.
“You’re fucking right,” she said with a gasp.
Right then she gripped the table and slammed it to the wall Blackwater said Talon was behind.
“You fucking hear that!” she yelled at the wall right as Mathis came in, along with his commanding officer.
Reveca jerked the table back and slammed it forward again. “You fucking hear me? You’re going down! You and your whores can suck it!”
She turned around and looked at the three men in the room with her. She was shaking, and her eyes were welling. She looked at Blackwater with some kind of odd fear in her eyes then, as if it had been rehearsed, over and over, her trembling voice said. “Talon runs drugs. He’s damn good at it, and the only reason he is is because the master mind behind it all is Cashton. You get your fucking recorders, your cameras, whatever the hell you need. And get that asshole another fucking room. I don’t want him that close to me.”
A slow satisfied grin came to Blackwater. Shock was on the face of the commanding lawman, and Mathis was confused, confused as hell.
“You heard the lady,” Blackwater said.
Reveca paced the floor, hearing Mathis and his boss going back and forth in harsh whispers. She let herself shake, let fear linger in her eyes. No doubt Mathis was thinking he was too late and Blackwater had had enough time alone with Reveca that he’d gotten into her head, twisted her, pushed her, and then finally broken her.
When she looked to the door she saw Amber and Talon a few steps behind her.
Rebecca charged him, made it past Mathis and the other lawmen before they had a chance to see it coming.
Reveca went at Talon with fists flaring. “You cheating fuck! I’m going to rip you apart! You fuck with my Club, I’m going to fucking bury you!”
Talon didn’t even have a chance to fight her off. Mathis had hooked his arms around her waist and picked her up as her legs kicked and she threw punch after punch in the air.
Mathis flung her in the room and shut it behind him as the commotion in the hall went on, as Talon screamed the same cold words back at Reveca, as he pushed that commanding lawman out of his way so he could get to Reveca only for three others to come out of nowhere and pin him to the wall and handcuff him, then lead him away.
“What the fuck, Reveca?” Mathis asked, trying to catch his breath as he guarded the door.
This was the first real good look Reveca had gotten of him. His eye was busted, so was his lip, and his arms were taped up.
“What the hell happened to you?”
He ran his hand down his face and paced forward then back. Then all at once he knelt before her, so much anger and frustration in his eyes. “I was run off the fucking road, my car slammed into a light pole. I woke up in a hospital bed, fucking out of it, and by the time I got those asses’ claws out of me and made it to my car, I found out my evidence was gone, both guns, and guess where I found you?”
Reveca lifted a brow.
“What the hell was that shit!” he said, pointing to the door, not believing that Reveca could snap so easily for Blackwater.
“A confession.”
“What is he holding over your head?” Mathis demanded to know.
“Nothing.”
His dark stare rushed over her eyes. “You’re not doing th
is. I’m not going to let you.”
“You are, this is over.”
“You know damn well you won’t get out of this alive. If Talon or his boys do not kill you for that display, Blackwater will ensure you’re dead then blame them anyway.”
“Going down in a blaze of glory,” Reveca said with an easy sigh.
“Why? Because you think he cheated on you?”
Reveca let a gasp of a smile out. “I don’t think shit. I know. And I’m tired. I’ve had a shitty fucking day, a lot of shitty days in a row. I’m over it. Talon was running drugs, Cashton is his wing man.”
“What kind of fucking game are you playing here?” Mathis asked as his face morphed into nothing but confusion and anger. “What did this Cashton kid do to you?”
“He fucking pulled Talon into this shit, and the two of them, all their bullshit with the gang wars and taunting the lawmen caused GranDee’s death.”
“I don’t believe you, not one damn word. Even if there was a sliver of truth to any of it, whoever this Cashton is has covered their tracks. Blackwater and O’Brian had everything they needed on Thrash. They had surveillance of him at the clinics, of him dropping the drugs and picking them up. They picked him up all of five seconds after you confessed to a crime you didn’t commit. They pulled Talon in to flip on him. They have been going at that girl and Talon for hours, trying to get Talon to confess.”
“Yeah, well Thrash never did shit to me.”
“That’s where you’re at now? This is where your anger and grief have pushed you? You’re going to let Blackwater and O’Brian walk on this—brush it all aside because you’re jealous? Really, Reveca, think about this shit. They’re distracting you from the point, ripping your Club apart, and you’re letting them.”
“I am. No man fucks with me and gets away with it.”
“You’re letting Blackwater get away with it.”
“Go get your fucking tape recorder,” Reveca said with a harsh glare.
Mathis let out a pissed sigh, turned his head, and looked at the ground then stood. “I’m not getting anything. I’m cleaning this shit up, even if I have to have every shrink in this state declare you unbalanced and throw out your confession, I will.” He stared down at her. “You stay right here and keep your mouth shut.”