Hell Is Burning (65 page)

“They were all like her. So are you!”

“I don’t know who you are,” she mumbled.

He went into a rage. “You’re just like her. You look like her, and I can’t let you live.”

She kicked at him, trying to get away. When she finally got to her feet, she swung out with a branch.

It missed and only angered him more.

He took her to the ground with all of his weight. Gone was the familiar face she’d recognized at the gym, and in its place was a mask of rage.

“She fought too, but I still won. I cut out her heart and no one knew,” he whispered in her ear.

She wept as his hands went around her throat. The fight slowly ebbed away, and she had no fight left in her.

“I had her too, and you’re going to pay.”

When her body went limp, he ripped down his fly and pulled off her shorts.

She had to die.

She had to die.

She had to…

And he destroyed her too.

       
         
* * *
  Croft & Croft  * * *

The ride there, they tested out their coms. It was dark out, and they were going into game lands wearing black riot gear.

This was going to be dangerous.

Each one of them knew that this was far from the optimal situation, especially if he was killing someone. Since they knew how this murder was going to end, they were taking their chances that he’d only have a knife.

In a gun fight, the odds were in their favor.

As they arrived at the location, the first thing they noticed was the Mercedes tucked into the trees.

“Mace, disable it,” Emma said. If he slipped past them, he wasn’t going to have a vehicle to use to escape.

He nodded and headed toward it.

Ford pointed toward the trees. “We’re going to have to split up,” he warned.

Yeah, Croft knew it, and that sat like a lead balloon in his gut. This part scared him shitless, but before he could say anything, his wife was clipping her light to the Glock and making her way to the trees.

He had to pray she’d be okay. It was hard, especially at moments like this, to recall that she was a well-trained and decorated cop.

His only solace was that no one was after her.

For now.

As they moved through the trees, they could hear someone up ahead. All three of them stayed in a formation, reaching the opening where the killer was with the woman.

Emma wanted to be sick.

He was raping her.

They were too late to stop that, but he hadn’t killed her yet, and that was what they needed to focus on.

As she stepped into the clearing, Emma announced herself.

He froze, glancing over his shoulder.

None of them missed the distortion to his face and the pure evil there.

“Freeze! Las Vegas police department! Get away from the woman!” Emma shouted.

Oh, Henry Mills went to move--only it wasn’t to get off his victim. It was for the butcher knife beside him.

He was going to finish the story.

Emma tracked the blade as he lifted it above the woman’s chest, and she didn't hesitate as she took the shot.

She couldn’t risk another woman.

The first bullet hit him in the shoulder, knocking the knife from his hand. He staggered back, falling to the ground and looking stunned.

It was obvious he wasn’t in his right mind.

Maybe she should just end it, but she wanted him alive. Henry Mills had a lot to answer to, and that justice needed to come from a court.

Not them.

As they moved toward him, he lay motionless on the ground.

Then, without warning, he had the knife and was aiming it at Croft.

Ford took the shot. He wasn’t messing around. Enough was enough. It was straight and true. It went past Emma and into the man, ending his life.

His body crumbled at Greyson Croft’s feet. They could all hear Curtis talking in their ears.

They took a second to breathe.

Henry Mills was dead.

“He’s contained,” Greyson said, alerting Curtis. “Have Steele suit up and head here. We have a dead killer.”

They listened to his reply.

“Ambulance is almost there. Do you still need it?” Curtis asked.

Emma knelt down beside the woman and touched her neck. She was still alive, but barely. Before she could say anything, Captain Ford pulled off his blazer and handed it to her.

She covered the woman with it.

“Yes, we need it.”

They could hear the sirens in the distance.

Emma wanted to celebrate, but she also wanted to cry. The woman he’d assaulted would never be the same again. She knew.

She’d lived something very similar.

“I need a break,” she said, holstering her gun.

Greyson and Chris watched her walk away.

“You should go,” Ford said. “I’ll wait.”

Croft knew that tonight, when they were in the safety of their home, she’d need the comforting he could offer. Now, she needed something completely different.

She needed her boss.

“This is a police issue, Chris. She’s yours until we get home. Go help your detective.”

He gave him a fist bump before walking away.

Sometimes family had to step up and take care of their own, and Croft needed to accept one thing.

He and Emma had a growing family who loved them.

At the vehicle, Emma watched the ambulance pull up. When the medics raced toward her directions, she found the need to be alone.

As the lights flashed around her, she knew that they’d barely saved that woman.

It was close and that weighed on her.

“Rough one, huh?” Ford said, leaning against the Navigator beside her.

She looked up. “Yeah, but we got him. She didn't lose her heart, so I guess we’ll call this a win.”

“You did good work, Detective.”

“Thanks, Captain.”

“By the way, you’re on leave.”

She stared at him. “Why?”

“You nearly died last night, and you just closed a major case. I think that a few days off is in order. Why don’t you abduct that husband of yours, and head to an island?”

She laughed. “What? And leave all this?”

Chris dropped his arm over her shoulder. It reminded Emma of something her brother would have done. It was when Chris pulled off his baseball cap, dropping it on her head that she cracked.

The water works began.

Chris had two choices--deal or panic.

He opted to be the brother she needed. “That’s the other reason, Emma. You need a break. If you don’t want to strap on a bikini at the beach, how about you help me move into my new place?” he suggested, wiping a few tears with his thumb as everyone rushed around them.

They ignored the stares.

She sniffled. “Yeah, I think I’d like that. Greyson too. We need to get rid of those neon beer signs. They’re tacky, even for you.”

He faked being appalled. “Not happening. They fit my stripper joint motif.”

Emma knew what he was doing, and she appreciated it. Sometimes, it just got to you. That he understood.

“Are you going to stand here and cry all night, Detective?” he asked, switching back to boss mode when his heart was going all warm and fuzzy for the woman.

“No, I think I’ll take your advice. Let’s wrap this up. I’m going home to get shitface drunk and molest my husband.”

“Croft!” he stated, trying to look appalled.

Emma started walking away, and then stopped. When she turned, she saw the man for who he was.

He wasn’t her boss.

He wasn’t her superior.

He was her family.

When she moved toward him, he opened his arms. Emma gave him a hug and then wiped her tears and runny nose on his t-shirt.

“Emma! That’s gross!”

She laughed as she set him free. “You apparently never had a sister,” she teased, winking at him before she walked away.

She tugged down his baseball cap and disappeared into the trees.

Chris Ford was a goner. Damn right he loved the woman. It felt good to have a sister.

In that moment, everything changed.

Yes, he had family born in blood, but this seemed so much more important. It filled a role that had been missing in his life.

A part of him knew nothing would never be the same.

Some bonds were forged in tragedy.

And others were built by love
.

It was those he valued most…

Epilogue

Four Days Later

It was probably the hardest thing he’d ever had to do in his life. Saying goodbye was always difficult, but this farewell was bittersweet.

Yes, he’d loved Brynn Westmore-Briggs.

A part of him always would, even though she betrayed and broke his heart. There was something that would always live in him for her. Curtis would remember her laugh, her smile, and the way she made him feel.

He had to.

If he didn't, the anger and hate he felt would rush in and dominate his life.

That was the last thing he wanted.

For now, Curtis wanted to live in the light and move on, so that meant forgiving her.

While Brynn never mentioned how she wanted her burial, if she ever went down in the line of duty, Curtis went with his gut.

He’d had her cremated.

Maybe that was the wrong thing, but it didn't matter. Maybe it was done for her, or maybe for him. In his heart, he didn't want to have a grave for her. The last thing he wanted was a place to go to mourn something that wasn’t real.

It would be too painful.

He’d given his all in his marriage, and she hadn’t. So now, he was sending her off and letting go.

In order to survive, he needed to do just that.

So, in the box were her cremains.

It was time to send her home.

As the moment of truth came, they all wanted to join him. Instead, he didn't let them. They all said their goodbyes at the morgue, and this moment was solely his.

This was his farewell to a woman he once loved and now had to let go.

As he drove to the mountains surrounding Las Vegas, he wanted a perfect spot to release her. He’d taken Brynn to one particular place and she said she loved it.

It was early in their relationship, before they got drunk.

Before they got married.

Before their lives were so screwed up.

So, he took her there again.

It was their final date. After this moment, he’d be free, and so would she.

After the climb to the top, he stood there overlooking the lushness. Soon winter would be coming, and the snow would cover the ground.

It was fitting.

Where there was once love, ice had now formed.

His heart told the tale.

As he stood there, he knew what he wanted to do, but rage wouldn’t win. It had before, and this is what it got them.

“Brynn, I’m sorry,” he said, placing his hand on the box. “I was a bad husband, and you deserved to follow your heart. This was a mess, and I hope when you were dying that you didn't suffer. I hope that you didn't hate me.”

He listened to the wind whistling around him.

“I know now that we were a mistake. I’ll always carry this on my shoulders, knowing that I pushed you to do something so horrible to strike back at me. I forgive you, Brynn. I can’t hate you. I want to, but I won’t. I know about everything, and it stings. I also know why you did it. You were trapped, and you fought to get free.”

Curtis wiped his eyes.

“I’ll always love you, Brynn. In my heart, you’ll always have a small piece. When you cross paths with someone, they imprint on your life. Had you not betrayed me, I might not have the family I do right now. So, I’m going to let this go. I’m going to let you go.”

He took the lid off the box.

“You’re free, Brynn. I hope wherever you are right now, you’re at peace. I’m finding my way to it, and I’ll be okay.”

Curtis pulled back the bag containing what was left of his wife. As he stared into it, he knew there was one last thing he had to do. Slipping the wedding band off his finger, he dropped inside the ashes. Hers was decimated in the process, and he was glad.

He wasn’t keeping it.

He couldn’t.

Love had died between them, only he’d been too afraid to see it was gone.

Now, he was seeing clearly.

“Goodbye, Brynn,” he said, dumping her cremains into the breeze. They floated in the wind, as his gold band fell off the side of the mountain and into nothingness.

In that moment, he wanted to cry.

Not for him, but for her.

Instead, he stayed strong.

Curtis stood there for a while, watching the woman he once loved dissipate into the breeze. He thought he’d feel pain, but he didn't.

There was relief.

“Goodbye,” he said, before placing the lid back on the box. Instead of taking it with him, he left it sitting on the ledge. He didn't want to remember anymore.

When he turned, he was glad there was a walk down the mountain. He needed the quiet.

He needed the peace.

Instead, he saw the trees rustle.

Looking up, he saw her perched on a branch.

“You remembered to look up,” Katerina said, smiling at him. She’d been tasked with following him, and she didn't mind. What she’d just watched and listened to had touched her heart.

“Have you been here long?” he asked as she flipped down from the tree.

“Yep.”

“So you heard it all?”

“I did.”

He didn't know what to say.

“How about we take a walk back down?” Katerina offered. She didn't want him to be alone. She knew how hard it was to say goodbye, even if it was to people who hurt you.

“Okay.”

As they headed toward the trail, she glanced over. “Are you ready, Mr. Briggs?”

He had to think for a second, trying to decide what she was really asking him.

Katerina watched him, her face giving nothing away.

“Yeah, I’m ready.”

With that, he took her hand.

They headed down the mountain.

Together.

       
                           
* * *
  Croft & Croft  * * *

Terrace Glen

Emma was alone.

Greyson had some work to handle, so he had left her in their room to deal with some calls. He had missed meetings, briefings, and so many other things while he’d been helping her with this case.

Now he was paying the piper.

So, as she lounged in her room, there was this feeling of sadness. Curtis had gone off to say goodbye, and she’d yet to do the same thing.

Randall Mason still haunted her. When she closed her eyes, she could see him there. His throat was slashed, and he’d bled out. It would live in her forever until she said her goodbyes.

That meant reading the letter.

It sat in the box on her dresser. Many times, she’d wanted to open it, but she wasn’t ready. After seeing Curtis’s steely determination, she knew it was time.

Emma wanted to be free.

So, as her husband worked in the office one floor down, she was going to man up and bid her ghosts adieu.

Opening the box, she ran her fingers over her own name, penned by a man she’d come to love. Emma couldn’t understand why she was so afraid to get the message from the dead, but she was.

It wasn’t like he could break her.

She was tough, and she’d learned that over the last year. When she lost her parents, she’d leaned on Gage. When Gage had died, she leaned on Reese, and when she had to leave him, there’d been Greyson.

Now, she didn't have to lean.

Instead, she stood on her own two feet and fought for what was hers in life.

Emma was strong, and she shouldn’t be afraid of the letter.

Yet, she was.

For some reason, it terrified her to her bones.

Taking a deep breath, she pulled it out of the box and tore it open. It was a new day, and she wasn’t going to hide. Later, she was heading over to Chris’s apartment to help him pack, so this had to be done.

It was time to move on.

Slipping it out of the envelope, she took a deep breath. What was going to be there was anyone’s guess. Now, she’d face it.

Alone.

Reading the words, her heart began rapidly pounding in her chest. It was the adrenaline rush that came before the calming of her nerves.

Dearest Emma,

If you’re reading this, I’m gone. I’m sorry that you’re left behind to deal with this. I know you’re going to hurt, or at least I hope you feel a little sadness over my death. I want you to know that you’ve been a bright star in my life. You’ve given me so much happiness, and for that I’m grateful. I am a better man because of you and your husband, so thank you.

If I was killed, it was the person hunting your husband. I’ve begun to get suspicious. Trudy Booker’s name keeps coming up, and I think she’s behind this. I know that’s crazy, but she’s connected to Ms. Dumas, and gossip is she’s dirty. You might want to focus on them. This is Vegas, and I’m a betting man. My money is on those two.

Speaking of money, you’re going to be very rich. I’ve left you everything. Well, that’s not the truth. I’ve left you all but a little portion I’ve put aside for Dimitri Gideon. He’s a good man, and he’ll keep you and your husband safe. Trust him. He, too, is like a child to me. He’ll watch your back.

Bad things are coming, Emma my love. Dominic Marianna is a dangerous man, and before he’s done, I fear he will take out your husband. He wants you in the worst way. I’ve built a little insurance police against him. There’s a key taped to the bottom of this letter. It opens a box at the bank. Go there, get the file, and do what you have to do. In it, you’ll find the beginning of the end for Dominic Marianna. As I see it, you have two choices. Use the money I gave you to bury him, or use the file. I fear for your husband. Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.

Be diligent.

Your lives depend on it.

Goodbye, my child.

I love you.

Randall.

Emma closed her eyes.

She wanted to laugh and cry. Had she read the letter earlier, they would have known Trudy was behind this. Maybe Brynn could have been saved.

Instead, she’d cowered in fear, and it cost the woman her life.

Damn it!

Then again, that was the least of her problems. Dominic Marianna was on the horizon, and she knew he was the end game.

Vegas could only have one power player, and he wanted it all. Only, there was someone in his way. Greyson wore a target on his back, chest, and forehead. Emma couldn’t let anything happen to him.

She’d fight to the death to save him.

It looked like she was going to have to make a choice.

If she used Randall’s intel, she’d likely be breaking the law. Emma was smart enough to know that whatever was in that file would be dangerous.

If it kept Dominic off Randall’s back, it had to be bad.

She was a cop.

There was a choice to be made.

Staring at the picture of her and Greyson on their bedroom wall, her heart skipped.

She made her choice.

Buzzing the pool house, she waited for him to answer.

“Yes, Emma?” Dimitri answered.

“We have a situation. I just read my letter from Randall.”

There was a pause.

“And?”

“I need to get to the bank. He left me something to use against Marianna.”

“You’re going to use the file?” he asked calmly.

So, it was apparent that the man knew about it.

“Randall told you?”

Dimitri hesitated. “Actually, I created the file. I found the information for him. I don’t know what he added to it, but most if it is from me.”

Well, that made perfect sense.

Of course the man had something to do with this. He was Randall’s hired gun, and now he was theirs.

“If you use it, Emma, there could be ramifications. It’s not all legal, and you’re a cop.”

“Dimitri, fuck it. I won’t lose Greyson. I need that file. This is the end game, and we both know it. I’m going to war with all the weapons I can find.”

There was silence.

“I’ll meet you out front.”

She relaxed. “How bad can it be?” she asked rhetorically.

Dimitri couldn’t reply. He knew what this meant. Emma Croft was about to wade into the ugliness, and it was going to be one hell of a battle.

And once it began, nothing would be the same again.