“Murder?”
“He hurt me. Raped me. Forced me to witness …” Muriel’s eyes narrow. Her words cut deep. She doesn’t complete her sentence but rages on. Her fists curl and her eyes rage with a deep-seated hatred, which persists to this day. “He kept me from the love of my life and flaunted it every day. Your father was a monster. His death was too kind, and he deserved far worse. You have no idea what he was capable of, the things he did, or how many lives he ruined. I did the world a favor the day he died.”
“That’s not true.”
“You doubt me?” Muriel’s words turn caustic. “You led a sheltered and protected life, given everything and anything you desired by that horrible man.”
“But this?” Maria gestures to the video camera.
Maria’s innocence hurts. I’ve experienced the depravity of the world firsthand. It no longer surprises me what one person can do to another. The same cannot be said for Maria.
She’s still processing what she saw on those tapes. I see the way her mind struggles to wrap itself around the crimes her mother committed and wish I could make it all go away.
Maria is a kind and gentle person who sees goodness and light in those around her. It goes against her nature to accept darkness. I have a horrible suspicion about who ordered the murders of all those young women, but I’ll hold my judgment until presented with irrefutable proof.
“Please, Maria, no more questions.” Her mother’s voice is brusque and dismissive, but there’s something else there as well.
A trace of humanity? Is it possible Maria uncovered the light within her mother?
“Why?” Maria sobs with her question. Tears run freely down her cheeks, but her mother doesn’t care.
“Because you’re useful.”
“I don’t understand what that means.”
“It means that if you shut up and stop acting like a spoiled brat, you may live to see another day.”
“You’re going to kill me no matter what. What does it matter if I ask questions?”
“Because, despite any of this, you’re still a Rossi.” Muriel places the tip of her finger under Maria’s chin and forces Maria to look at her. “You have value.”
“Value? How?”
“The same way I had value once I turned eighteen.”
“That doesn’t make sense.”
“Pathetic thing? Can’t you guess?”
Maria shakes her head.
“It’s what’s between your legs that has value. We sell that to the highest bidder, and we not only secure Rossi holdings but also expand operations. It’s what was done to me and how you’ll serve your family the way I served mine. My poor, sweet, innocent spawn, your father did you a disservice when he led you to believe your life was your own. We’re not going to kill you.” She tosses her head back and cackles. “We’re going to use you.”
“No. That’s a lie. And you’re crazy.” Maria shouts at her mother and stands, only to be shoved back on the couch by her mother.
“Silence! For once in your life, shut up and listen. You’re going to be the perfect Rossi princess.”
“I’d rather die.”
“I don’t think so, but he might.” Muriel spins and glares at me. A sinister smile spreads across her face. “Behave, and do as you’re told, and we’ll make his death short and sweet, nearly painless.”
“No.”
“Be a disobedient brat and Marco will ensure he suffers. Do you know how long we can keep a man alive? Your fiancé will suffer horribly if you don’t play your part.”
“You’re both monsters. I’ll never do what you say. There’s absolutely nothing you can do to make me do what you want.”
“And here, I thought you loved him?” Muriel cocks her head, thinking. Then that serpentine smile is back. “Evidently not, but I do know one person who you’ll do anything to keep safe.”
“I will never do what you say. You’ll have to kill me because the moment I get free, I will run to the cops and tell them everything I know.”
“Oh, my foolish girl. What do you think Sybil will think about that?”
“Don’t bring her into this.” Maria snaps at her mother.
“Darling, Sybil is already involved. Why do you think she never showed up at the benefit?”
I cringe and wait for Maria’s reaction. If she plays this wrong, we’re all dead.
“She didn’t show up because her father finished chemo. She wanted to be there for him.”
“Yeah, about that …” Muriel looks over her shoulder, eyes spinning with mania. “Marco, be a dear and tell her where Sybil is?”
“About now, up on an auction block for real.” His cold, dispassionate words are delivered with zero emotion.
“No.” Maria’s eyes round in fear. “That’s not true. She’s in Hawaii. She got the call right before she left to get ready. She’s in Hawaii.” Maria surprises me with her acting, hitting it spot on.
Even I believe Sybil received a call from her parents and is safe in Hawaii. I’m curious how Marco will react.
Will he buy the lie? Or does he suspect Maria knows the truth?
“Her fate is in your hands, daughter.” Muriel grins in victory. “You will do as I did … exactly as you’re told.”
“You get ahead of yourself, my dear.” Marco rejoins us.
With me trussed up and Maria subdued, Marco closes the distance. He feels safe. It’s a mistake he’ll come to regret. “Your fiancé knows things. Things I need to know.” I get the worst feeling in the pit of my stomach. We’ve misjudged Marco Rossi.
“What are you talking about? He knows nothing.” Maria’s shock is real, if a little over the top. It’s enough to increase her uncle’s suspicions rather than ease them.
“Oh, he knows a great deal. Don’t you, Alpha-six?”
My entire body stiffens at his use of my designation. Marco Rossi knows far too much, and now he wants to pull that information out of me.
Things just got interesting, but not in a good way.
Marco knows who I am, or at least who I work for. He’ll keep me alive until he extracts what he needs to know.
No problem.
My job is to endure and survive.
Marco presses a switch underneath the edge of the desk. An entire wall of bookcases slides to the side. Beyond, a concrete ramp angles down into darkness.
“After you.” Marco waves his gun, gesturing for me to head down to the basement.
I brace against the slight breeze coming up from below. It carries the musty scent of earth and reeks of putrid decay.
Having been a party to all manner of interrogations over the years, this will be my first time on the wrong end of one.
Interrogating a prisoner requires a certain amount of finesse. My question is how much practice has Marco had?
All Guardians are recruited after serving in the military. Most of us are team guys. SEALs predominate in the Guardian community, but we have all comers. Green Berets, Air Force Special Ops, Delta guys, name the specialty, there’s one who became a Guardian.
What this means is we’re all well versed in enhanced interrogation techniques. That’s the politically correct term for torture. Griff likes to call it how-to-fuck-with-people-so-they-tell-you-shit, and the man is a master in the art of torture. He’s a big, fucking guy. Intimidating and scary as shit.