“You’ll marry my daughter and be a good father to your son. Hell, I spend more time with your kid than you do.”
“I’ll do my best.”
“If I find out you even look at another woman, I’ll slit your fucking throat.”
“I’ll be faithful to Carla. You have my word.”
“That’s good, Tyler. Welcome to The Trinity, son.”
“Thank you, Mr. Spinetti.”
Stryker emerged from the shadows. Tee Barnham startled and the color drained from his cheeks. “Oh, heyyyy, Stryker.”
Stryker loomed over him, forcing him to tilt his face up. Seething, he said nothing.
Barnham shot Emerson a furtive glance.
Stryker wrapped his hand around his father’s throat and pulled him to his feet.
“Do something,” Barnham croaked to Emerson.
Emerson didn’t move.
Stryker tightened his grip. Barnham’s face reddened. He wanted to choke the life out of him. Several seconds later, he released him. Barnham wheezed in a few mucus-filled breaths.
“What the hell is going on here?” Barnham rasped out.
“Vindication, Tyler Truman.” Despite the hatred raging through him, Stryker kept his voice low and calm. “This is where I’m supposed to feel satisfaction that I’ve found my mother’s killer. But I don’t. I want to take your life in exchange for hers. But you need to rot in solitary confinement. You, alone with your demons, for decades.”
“I think there’s been a huge misunderstanding,” Barnham said.
“That’s you on the recording,” Stryker ground out. “And that’s Carlo Spinetti, also known as The Father. You must be The Son. The one who killed his first wife and married his mistress. You were gone all the time…on business. But it wasn’t business. You had two families.” Stryker’s stomach turned. “You sicken me.”
“I…um, er—well, it’s just that—”
“You were a non-existent father the first time around. You’d think you’d get it right for round two, but Lyle turned into a psychopath, a serial killer. Bravo, Tyler. It doesn’t get any worse than that.”
“I never wanted to be a dad. I wanted to be wealthy. Mission accomplished.” Barnham’s demonic smile made him look insane. “I was living my best life when you helped the FBI take down my father-in-law. I was highly motivated to eliminate you, but not before we ruined you, first.”
“You didn’t ruin me.” Stryker smiled. “I ruined you.”
“We’ll see.”
“Your life was filled with bad choices that included trusting Spinetti.”
Barnham jumped up and raised his arm to strike Stryker. Moving fast, Stryker shoved him back. Barnham crashed into the chair and fell backward. Stryker glowered down at him. “Get this scumbag outta here.”
Stryker pulled him to his feet so Emerson could slap handcuffs on him. “You’re under the arrest for grand theft, the attempted murder of Stryker Truman, and the murder of Amanda Truman.” After she mirandized him, the officers placed Barnham inside the patrol car.
Relief washed over Stryker. He had found his mother’s killer, and by doing that, he had freed himself. At long last, Stryker’s twenty-year search had come to an end.
“I’m headed to the station to add the recorder into evidence,” Emerson said, as the cop car pulled away.
Stryker removed the wire he’d been wearing. “I’ll keep this, just in case.”
“Good call,” Emerson said, removing her wire. “We’ll use mine.”
“Where can I find you later?”
