“Officer Michaels. What’s wrong?”
“He’s dead.”
The two words immediately created an echo in my ears. “What? Who the fuck is this?” The voice. No. It wasn’t possible. I’d blocked his number.
“Don’t hang up, Val.”
Bruno. The edge to his voice was entirely different.
I immediately moved to the window in the kitchen where I was able to see a small portion of the circular driveway as well as the ocean. “Bruno. How the fuck did you get this number? Leave me alone.” What the hell did he mean the officer was dead? I’d just seen him maybe fifteen minutes before.
“You don’t understand. You need to listen to me. Don’t hang up.”
“Are you using again?” His voice was quavering, which only occurred when he was high as a fucking kite. How in God’s name had he gotten this number?
“No. No. You’re in danger. You need to get out of that house.”
His words stopped me cold. “What are you talking about?” He wasn’t quick enough in his answer. “What the fuck are you trying to tell me?”
“I did something bad. Okay? I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I didn’t think I had any choice.”
I’d been with Bruno during all his highs and ugly lows. He was scared. Terrified.
So was I.
Jesus. He started sobbing. “What did you do, you son of a bitch?”
“I had no choice. I didn’t think they were going to try and kill you.”
My mind went to a complete blur, my vision foggy. “What? What did you fucking say to me? My little girl is right here. If you put her life in danger, I will fucking kill you.”
“I’m sorry. I would never hurt her. I’m sorry.” He sucked in his breath and his next words chilled me to the bone. “The police officers are dead, Val. They were murdered.” Now his goddamn voice held the same cold and calculating tone as I’d heard the day I’d caught him with his fucking pants down, high as a kite and determined to kill me.
My body began to shake.
“What are you talking about?” The question was the only one I could manage to utter, my mind foggy as the fear threatened to paralyze me. I was whispering when there was no reason. “What did you do? Tell me.” Now I was becoming frantic.
When the lights and television shot off, my heart slammed into my throat. The bright sun did nothing to eliminate the shadows. Spinning around, I rushed from the kitchen heading to the one window where I could see clearly outside the front.
One of the police cruisers’ car doors was wide open. And… And…
I pressed my hand against the window, straining with the tears forming in my eyes to understand what I was seeing.
The officer was down and… He was bathed in a pool of blood.
“Just do as I say. Get out of the house. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” Bruno was insistent, almost as frantic as I’d become. This couldn’t be happening. Not again.
I ended the call, shoving the phone in my jeans pocket as I raced toward the half bath.
Hudson’s words played firmly in my ears.
“You need to listen to me. If anything happens, the keys to my Range Rover are in left hand kitchen drawer just before the garage. A lot of steel in that baby.”
“What are you saying?”
“I just want to ensure you’re safe. Nothing to worry about. There’s plenty of gas.”
“What’s wrong, Mommy?” Bella shrieked when I grabbed her hand, yanking her arm hard enough I knew I’d terrified her. When she started crying, I cringed deep inside. Oh, my God. I snagged the bags I’d already packed, glancing over my shoulder. They were dead. What the hell had Bruno meant? What had he done?
