Of course, she’d had friends with her then.
Now, she was on her own.
That didn’t matter. There was one of him, one of her, and a caveman on his way to get her. She could do this. She was going to get away.
99
“I can seewhy Detective Acardi walks around you with a permanent hard-on, doctor. You are…a very attractive young woman. If I were but thirty, even twenty younger, I could see developing my own fascination.”
Um, yick. Talk about making Madison want to vomit.
“Am I supposed to take that as a compliment? You have hurt people. People I care about. Was Steve the fifth man at the choir shooting?” Kimball had said that he wasn’t, but she wasn’t sure she believed that. And…the red light was still on. Recording. It was…important.
“No. He knew about it, of course. My son acted as a bit of a lieutenant for my organization, but that was not something I would have condoned. The governor’s sister-in-law? A woman from Hughes Heights? No—too much attention. He had his little band of merry idiots to do his dirty work. Those idiots simply wanted the money Victor was offering toeventuallyget him MacNamara’s wife. The problem is that Victor got obsessed with that young woman, and obsessed with having a viable heir, that he stoppedthinkingabout keeping himself safe while he didwhat he desired. He was a fool. Women, root of all evil. I have always believed so.”
“So who was the fifth man?”
He hesitated. “I am not fully certain.”
“Do I know him?”
“There are three possibilities, and yes. I do believe you know all three of them. Steve was not involved that night. He was otherwise occupied. Taking care of a small matter with Heather, I believe. I told him and told him to stay away from her after their first was born. But that woman—something about her completely captured my son. And it destroyed him. He did make their youngest daughter that night, I believe.”
“He raped her. Hurt her, and I think he did itbothtimes. I was told that Heather didn’t even know if she consented the first time. How can you be proud of him? He is a monster. He deserves what he got.”
“He was stupid and arrogant where she was concerned. Something about her just captivated him. I’ve watched her, you know. Sometimes, a man just can’t look away. Normal women are just not like her. Although I am starting to suspect you might be, though. For a certain type of man, such as…Acardi, of course. But my boy does not deserve what is happening to him now. He will be in that bed for the rest of his life. Trapped there. He will not know his daughters—any of them. He has no future, and if he does wake—it is prison for him.”
“Yes. Rather hard to get out of, considering what he did. How many people have you killed personally? Did you have anything to do with Heather Coleson’s parents’ deaths twenty years ago? Her father’s first wife?”
“That I did not. When I first began my little side business, there were others operating in the same area, Madison. That did not last long—many got arrogant and foolish, or fell for women they shouldn’t have. I inherited their business. This is a ratherlarge area of the country we are in, after all. And if a man had employees he trusts who are willing to travel?—”
“You have been running a murder-for-hire ring in this area for at least four decades. How many people workforyou?”
“No more than four or five at a time. Easier to control…leaks…that way. I am not a fool. I keep the overhead low, but pay my people generously, as well. You need to understand—too many loose lips do sink ships. I have had to reduce my staff at times. Just like we’ve had lay-offs at the TSP throughout various economic down turns. I have it on great authority, lay-offs will be happening statewide as soon as Rhonda sets some things in motion. It is what’s best for the TSP. That woman does want what is best for the TSP.”
Rhonda—Rhonda Hamler, of course. Chief of the entire TSP.
“So…how far…into the TSP does all of this go? Kimball said there are cops and there are businessmen involved.”
“Businessmenyou say? Interesting concept.”
He wasn’t going to open up on that, apparently. He slowed the van. Turned. Madison’s stomach dropped when she saw a familiar sign out the side window.
The Value Reservoir.
She hadn’t been back there since what had happened to her and Hope and Haldyn not far from where they were now. “Why are we here?”
She didn’t do as good a job keeping the fear out of her tone as she wanted. He chuckled. Like she’d done somethingcuteto entertain him.
“Do you honestly think I will stay in this van until I get to Mexico? No. I will deal with you, pick up my granddaughter, and we shall leave the country. Like I said, I have contingency plans—for my contingency plans. It has kept me going this long. But…all good things do come to an end. I’m sure you understand that. It is time to retire with the fruits of my labors now. Iam more than ready to enjoy the golden years, watching my granddaughter grow up. That kind of thing.”
He turned one more time. Then her teeth were practically jarring out of her head as he drove the multi-six-figure ERT van over some of the roughest terrain of her life. Yes, it was designed to go some rugged areas, but this…
Even if her hands weren’t secured, she’d never be able to drive it back out. Not now…
Because he had no intention of letting anyone find the van. He couldn’t know about the trackers. He was being too casual. There was no urgency in how he was acting. He wasn’t concerned with getting caught or anything. He honestly believed he was going to get away with all of this. Simply because he wanted it.
“You sure don’t seem like you are in a hurry here. Aren’t you afraid the Major Crimes guys will find you?”
