Saving Alexander (32 page)

Alex shook his head. “I’m not going anywhere without you.”

Sarah laughed, a grating sound that echoed through the stillness of the room. “How touching. Alex doesn’t want to give up his little man toy. I’m disappointed. But you’re still coming with me. If you don’t come with me now, I will shoot him.”

Alex looked at Sage who was shaking his head violently. “Stay away from him, you crazy bitch,” Sage spat at the older woman, watching helplessly as Alex moved slowly toward her. Alex needed to create a distraction to get the gun away from Sage’s head and he knew exactly how to do that. By telling Sarah something no one other than Cully knew.

“Did they ever tell you how Rudy died, Sarah?” Alex said quietly.

Sarah glared at Alex. “He was killed by a bullet fired from one of the guns used by that extraction team. He died a hero, a martyr.”

Alex shook his head, a faint smile on his face. “He didn’t die from a gunshot wound. That was just what was reported in the newspapers.”

Sarah looked at him in suspicion. “That’s a lie. Why would you say that?”

“He was dead when the extraction team arrived, Sarah. I know that because I was the one who killed him.”

“Alex,” Sage whispered, his voice agonised. “What are you doing? Just come here, please, honey.” Alex ignored him. He had to keep Sage safe.

Sarah lowered the gun slightly, unaware she was doing so as she gazed at Alex in horror. “What do you mean, you killed him? How could you, someone as pathetic as you, do that?”

“We were in the basement. He’d just raped me for the second time and he was feeling very mellow. But we weren’t alone. There was a little boy with us. Rudy planned on doing the same to him when he finished with me. He was six years old, just a child, and he was scared. He saw things in that basement no adult should ever see, let alone a child. I tried to tell him everything would be all right but my mouth was so swollen from where Rudy had beaten me I could hardly talk.”

Sarah was staring at Alex, mesmerised. Sage was doing the same, but Alex could see the pain in his eyes at hearing of Alex’s ordeal.

“I managed to convince him it would be nice if we had a threesome. He was quite intrigued with that idea. So he cut me loose. He wanted me to start on the boy while he watched.” His voice tightened in disgust. “He actually wanted me to fuck a six-year-old child.” Alex heard Sage’s gasp of breath and didn’t dare look at him. The shame, guilt and despair Alex felt back in that room came flooding back to assault his body. “Rudy had his trousers off and he was touching himself, he was so turned on by the whole thing. His trousers were on the floor and his hunting knife was tied onto his belt. I moved the boy in between him and his trousers, so he couldn’t see me. Then I bent down as if I was going to undress him but I picked up Rudy’s knife instead.”

Alex voice was hypnotic as he told his terrible story. He felt outside himself, as if it were someone else recounting it. Sarah’s eyes grew wider and Alex felt a sense of satisfaction that she was starting to realise where the story was going. She was slowly lowering the gun. Out of the corner of his eyes, Alex saw Sage move into the room, trying to get closer to Sarah. Sarah was so focused on Alex that she didn’t notice.

“He was so busy concentrating on getting his rocks off that when I stabbed him in the chest the first time, he didn’t believe it. He looked at me, surprised and I pushed the kid out of the way, told him to go to the corner of the room and close his eyes. I wasn’t going to let him make him into a new version of me. I just couldn’t let that happen no matter what I had to do. I had to protect him. For the first time, I had to fight back at Rudy to save the child.”

Alex laughed, a grating laugh with no amusement, full of bitterness. “He stopped holding onto that pathetic thing he called a penis and reached out a hand to me. He didn’t believe I was doing it and truthfully, neither could I. I stabbed him again and again and again until I couldn’t see for the blood and Cully pulled me away and told me it was all right, Rudy was dead and he wasn’t going to hurt me again.”

Alex’s voice was flat with no emotion in his eyes. “He died begging me to stop, Sarah. Your warrior of a son was nothing more than a perverted, cowardly fucking demon and I’m glad I killed him.”

Sarah cried out in sheer fury, raising the gun toward Alex just as Sage launched himself at her from the side, knocking the gun out of her hands. It went flying over the desk, landing on the other side.

He saw Sarah lash out at Sage, her meaty fist connecting with his chin, causing him to reel back. Sage moved forward again toward her. Alex could see his hesitancy at hitting a woman. Instead Sage glanced at the gun on the floor then his eyes flicked back to Alex.

Alex understood. Sage would keep her busy while he went for the gun. That was fine with him. He wanted the gun to stop this bitch once and for all. Put a bullet in her brain, destroy her like he had her son. He moved swiftly, heading round the desk to find the gun.

“I should have you killed a long time ago,” Sarah spat at Sage. “I was waiting to take him away from you first so you’d see who owned him. Make you suffer, not having him. But now at least I can do it myself.”

Sage launched himself at her again, punching her in the jaw. She cried out in pain and fell back against the table. Her hands clawed Sage’s face, leaving bloody scratches as he held his hands up to defend himself.

“Let it go,” he growled as he backed away. “For God’s sake, woman, can’t you see this is over?”

Sarah snarled, ready to make a fresh assault against him.

Alex had found the weapon. He picked it up in and stood to face Sarah.

“Stop it.” His voice was quiet. “Stop now or I’ll bloody shoot you, you bitch. And nobody fucking
owns
me. Not anymore.” He stood, steady hands pointing the gun he’d retrieved squarely at Sarah. “Stay back, Sage.”

Sarah smiled. “You have no idea how to fire a gun, you pathetic man.”

Her voice faltered as Alex pointed the loaded weapon at the older woman, and clicked back the safety catch confidently. “You had the safety on, Sarah. And your son taught me how to shoot one of these. In case we ever got attacked by the police, he wanted everyone to know how to use a gun. Now move farther away from Sage.”

“Make me, you little bastard.” Sarah’s eyes gleamed wildly.

Alex pointed the gun at Sarah, his finger poised on the trigger. “I am going to put a fucking bullet in your head, see it explode like a melon. Kill you just like I did your son. Sage, you might like to close your eyes so you don’t get the bitch’s blood in them.”

“Alex, don’t go crazy, baby.” Sage watched him and Alex’s hands trembled with emotion.

“She needs to die, Sage. For both of us to be safe.” Alex said tremulously. The only other time he felt an overwhelming urge to wipe a human being off the face of the earth was when he’d killed Rudy. He’d forgotten how sick the feeling had made him.

Sage shook his head. “No, Alex. This isn’t you, you’re no murderer. Just hold the gun on her—” His eyes widened at something behind Alex, who felt the presence of someone else in the room.

“Mr. Montgomery? Put the gun down, son, and we’ll take it from here.”

The quiet tone of Reg Doyle bought Alex to his senses. He blinked, looking over at the door where the bulky and comforting frame of the detective stood, weapon pointed at Sarah. Alex’s chest heaved, his eyes fierce as he gripped the gun tighter, shaking his head. DS Doyle moved calmly forward, holding eye contact with Sarah, reaching out a hand and slowly easing the pistol from Alex’s grasp with his free hand.

Alex let him take the gun, his body relaxing. At that moment a police constable hurried into the room and Reg motioned to him as he pocketed the pistol he’d taken from Alex. The detective kept his weapon trained on the woman who was staring at them with hate-filled eyes.

“Cuff that bloody woman and get her out of my sight,” he growled. The constable cuffed Sarah with difficulty as she struggled and screamed invective, fighting back. Sage moved swiftly over to Alex, pulling his body into his arms, holding him as if he’d never let go.

“It’s all right, baby. It’s over.”

Alex buried his face in Sage’s neck. “She could have shot you, Sage. I don’t know what I’d bloody do if I lost you.” His body was still filled with dread.

“It didn’t happen.” Sage stroked Alex’s hair, soft, gentle strokes that soothed him. “We’re both safe.” He looked at Reg Doyle. “Thanks for turning up when you did. I was scared Alex was going to do something stupid.”

Reg looked at them both. “I want you to go with this constable.” Another uniformed officer had appeared in the doorway. “We’ll mop up here, but I’ll need statements from you both later.”

Alex nodded, taking Sage’s hand as they followed the policeman and then he stopped. He looked at Reg. “Sarah said there was a video camera in that air-conditioning unit. It may have been filming. Could you take care of it for me, you personally? I’m ready to answer for whatever I’ve done but I’d rather you’d see it first. I don’t know how much you heard in here but I basically admitted to killing a man.”

Sage hissed a breath and started to say something but Alex laid a hand across his lips.

“Hush,” he murmured. “Whatever happens, happens. I’m prepared for it, Sage.” He pulled Sage out of the room with him.

* * *

Reg watched as Alex left then made his way quietly to the wall. He put on his crime-scene gloves, removing the front panel of the unit. He saw the video camera, its red eye winking at him. It had definitely been filming. He switched it off, using his gloves and removed the video tape, sliding it into his coat pocket.

Alex sat in the police waiting room, exhausted as he waited for Sage to complete his statement. He’d given his already, and all he wanted to do was get home, snuggle up to Sage and never let him go. He heard his name being called and looked up to see Miles rushing toward him. The man’s face was panicked, his breathing laboured and Alex worried he was going to have a heart attack.

“Alex? What the hell happened?” Miles panted out the words as his hands grabbed Alex’s.

“He’s in with the policemen. Come on, Miles. Sit down before you do yourself an injury.”

Miles sat on the chair trying to catch his breath. He looked up at Alex. “Jesus, what happened? I got your call and dashed over here, what the hell’s happened to you both now?”

Alex ran through the evening’s events as best he could, leaving out the bit about the conversation with Sarah about killing Rudy. “They’ve got her in custody.”

Alex heard his name again and looked around to see the figure of Cully standing behind him. Cully said nothing, just pulled Alex into his broad chest, wrapping huge arms around him. The hug seemed to go on for minutes and finally Cully released Alex.

“You all right?” he asked quietly.

Alex nodded. “I’m fine. It’s been a bit of a nightmare though.” His voice caught and he clenched his hands in frustration. Cully nodded, making Alex sit down on the chair next to him between him and Miles. “You got her, Alex,” Cully said gently. “It’s over.”

Alex shook his head. “No, it’s not.” He stared down at his hands as he twisted them around. “I told Sarah I killed Rudy, Cully. I had to distract her. So I told her.”

Cully’s face went still. “Do the police know?”

Alex nodded. “They will. She had a video recorder installed in my office. I think it was still taping when we were in there. The police have the tape.”

Cully closed his eyes in dread.

Miles leaned forward, confused. “You killed someone, Alex?”

“A long time ago, a really bad man.” Cully frowned at him. “It doesn’t matter now. Maybe later one of these two will tell you all about it.”

They all looked up as Sage came out of the far office. He was pale but composed. Alex stood up and they embraced, then Sage gave Miles a big hug.

“They said we could go home,” Sage said tiredly. “If they have any more questions they’ll give us a call in the morning. Reg said he’d keep the wolves at bay that long.” He smiled wanly. “He’s a good man and he seems fond of me for some reason.”

Alex smiled. “Who wouldn’t be?” He kissed Sage fiercely. “Now let’s get out of here. Tomorrow can wait. Tonight I just want to hold you and think of nothing else.”

The three of them left together.

Chapter 31

The news that the
Double Exposure
Affair still wasn’t quite over was front-page news the following morning and for the next few days. How it got out no one knew. It was all there: Sarah’s arrest, the fact that she was the mother of a cult leader and had tried to kill a well-known actor and writer and most of all, the fact that Alexander Montgomery was actually Evan Harding, rescued from a cult when he was just eighteen years old. Jenny Miles once again did her best to contain any damage. The studio had hired a security service to keep the journalists from the building, but the streets outside were awash with cameramen and reporters.

Alex and Sage sat white faced at Alex’s apartment watching the news, seeing the old clippings of Alex’s past flash up on screen. Cully had appeared at the house that morning the minute the news stories broke, and he sat with them now, his face grim as Alex’s old life was sensationally recycled.

Tense with anxiety, they watched for any news of Rudy’s death at Alex’s hands but there was nothing. DS Doyle appeared in a pre-recorded interview on the TV screen to give his comments on the recent affair. His ruddy face was calm, his voice matter of fact.

“The police investigation is ongoing. However, I can confirm that we have arrested a woman in connection with the assault on Mr. Christopher Sage and Mr. Alexander Montgomery late last night. The woman, Sarah Brose, is in police custody. Mrs. Brose has admitted to creating the incidents known in the press as the
Double Exposure
Affair. We have found other evidence linking Mrs. Brose to the attack on the actress Dianne Cunningham as well as with the death of Mr. Eric Rossi. We urge anyone with any information to come forward. We believe all these incidents are connected and were indeed events controlled by Mrs. Brose.”