A Right to Remain Read online

  “Quinn, what’s going on?” I asked as I watched him check inside the closets and the bathroom.

  “Nothing. Just being paranoid.” But I knew it was more than paranoia causing him to act this way.

  I shook my head. “Remember our deal? Everything about this case, even if you think I can’t handle it. I promise you, I can.”

  I took a seat on the bed and tapped on the mattress for him to take a seat next to me. He let out a deep breath before sitting down.

  “I met up with Detective Frankild today, and we went to talk to Megan Lancer.”

  I got a sick feeling in my stomach at the mere mention of that name. “And…?” I swallowed hard, waiting for his reply.

  “There was nothing going on with her and your husband.”

  An enormous weight lifted off my shoulders.

  “She and Adam had some kind of business deal going on.”

  “So yo-you think he had something to do with Aaron’s murder?”

  He ran his hand down the side of his face. The same way he always would when he was nervous about something “I...umm…I’m not sure yet, but we’ll know really soon.”

  “How will you know?” His vagueness was driving me crazy.

  “Frankild has a few leads he’s working on. He really wouldn’t tell me what they were. I wanted to make sure you were okay, and to let you know I was right about Adam, and you were right about your husband. He was the stand-up guy you always knew him to be.”

  I felt the familiar burn of tears. After spending the afternoon visiting all of my and Aaron’s favorite places, I felt as if this was his way of reaffirming he had been there with me today. I closed my eyes just thinking about Adam. “I hate Adam so much!” I said through clenched teeth. “He had something to do with Aaron’s death…I know it. He dropped me off after the funeral and tried to kiss me when he was leaving.” I could see Quinn’s face filling up with anger. “When I pushed him away he got angry and started going on this rant about how Aaron stole me from him. I swear to God, if he’s the reason Aaron’s dead…” I shook my head, rage building over the mere thought of it.

  "Detective Frankild’s got a lot of good leads from this Megan girl, and I promise you, Lacey, this will all be over soon."

  “Are you sure you’re telling me everything, Quinn?”

  He nodded and looked away.

  I pursed my lips, hoping he was. I was seething inside at Adam. He pretended to be Aaron's friend, while the whole time he was jealous of him and more than likely plotting behind his back. Just thinking about how he cried like a baby at his funeral and pretended to be there for me in the months after. God, how I hated him.

  “You look tired,” I said.

  “I am.”

  “Me too. Let’s go to sleep.”

  I changed into my pajamas while he undressed down to his boxers, and we got into bed. It felt so good to be lying next to him, hearing his heartbeat as my head lay upon his chest. I was emotionally spent after the day I had, and even more so after the details Quinn had just shared with me. It seemed like it was only a matter of minutes when I looked up at Quinn to find him sound asleep. I couldn’t resist stretching my neck and kissing him on the cheek. “I love you,” I whispered softly in his ear as I continued to gaze at him, looking absolutely adorable even in his sleep. It was as if he knew exactly when I needed him the most and was always there for me. I didn’t know how he managed to do it, but he did.

  Even the comfort of Quinn’s arms wrapped around me couldn’t lull me to sleep as a million thoughts went through my mind. The more I tried not to think of Adam, the more I did. I wanted to tell him just how I felt about him. I wanted him to know he wasn’t worthy of a friend like Aaron, and most of all I wanted to tell him I would never forgive him if I found out he was involved in Aaron’s death. It was as if he was reading my mind when I rolled over to read the text message that had just come through from him.

  I’m sorry about today. I was out of line and I should have never done or said what I did. If you’re still awake, would you be up to meeting me for a drink?

  Pure rage shot through my veins over how stupid he thought I was, but for now, I was going to play along. If I planned on ever getting any sleep again, I needed to get how I was feeling about him off my chest and now was the perfect time to do that. I looked over at Quinn still fast asleep and quietly got out of bed before texting Adam back.

  Where at?

  I dressed in the darkness and was out the door as soon as his reply came through.

  Wise Guys Bar

  ***

  I was beginning to question my sanity as I pulled up to the run-down bar in a less desirable part of town. Maybe I should have told Quinn where I was going, but he was sleeping so soundly, and I didn’t want to wake him. I knew if I had, there would’ve been no way in hell we would have let me come to this hole-in-the-wall, especially to meet up with Adam. My anger for Adam was what was giving me the will to walk into this dive. I took a deep breath when I reached the door, trying to get my emotions in check. When I walked inside I checked out the bar area only to find one lone man who looked like he had been there for a while with his bottle of beer in hand. There was no sign of Adam, which was pissing me off even more. Figures, he made me come to this shit-hole and doesn’t show up!

  “Lacey!” Adam’s familiar voice called as I was getting ready to make my exit. I turned around to find him exiting what I assumed was the men’s room. I stood in silence for a few moments, trying to pull it together instead of hauling off and punching him in the face. I slowly approached him, taking deep breaths along the way.

  “Have a seat,” he requested once I finally reached him.

  “No. Whatever it is you need to say, you can say it while I’m standing up.”

  He nodded. “Okay. I’m sorry for the way I acted earlier, but that doesn’t change how I feel about you. Why, Lacey? Why can’t we try and make it work between us?” The desperation in his voice was scaring me. “When I watched you sleeping that night and you looked so beautiful and at peace.”

  I swallowed hard. “Wh-what night?” I asked, even though I knew exactly what night he was talking about. The same night I had awoken and thought it was Quinn sitting on the side of my bed.

  He was in my bedroom?

  He was watching me sleep?

  I was getting more freaked out by the second, wishing I had let Quinn know where I was and wishing I had never been so stupid to show up here in the first place.

  “You’re sick, Adam. You need help.” My voice quivered as I began to back away.

  “Why’s that, Lacey? Because I can’t help how I feel? Because I want you to fuck me the same way you fucked your cop boyfriend?”

  I narrowed my eyes.

  “Tell me something. Did you even think of Aaron when he was going down on you?”

  I swallowed hard, trying my hardest to breathe. Was he watching me and Quinn having sex? I wouldn’t let fear rule me anymore. I was even angrier now than when I had first walked into this place, and I couldn’t hold back anymore. The back of my hand made contact with the side of his face as hard as I could.

  “You’re a liar and a sick bastard. You were never his friend. You’re the reason he’s dead…I know it.”

  He stared down at me, speechless, and my stomach clenched, knowing I was right in my assumption. “Lacey, listen to me.” He grabbed tightly onto my wrist.

  “Let go of me!” I shouted, but he wasn’t relenting.

  “I didn’t mean for it to happen.”

  I shook my head and couldn’t stop the tears. Even though I was fairly certain he had something to do with it, hearing him admit it was a huge blow to my heart.

  “Adam, shut your mouth!” a voice shouted, coming up from behind him. A voice that was strangely familiar to me, one that sent chills down my entire body. As he came closer and his cold brown eyes stared into mine, I knew without a doubt I was looking into the eyes of the man who had murdered my husband and had raped me.
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br />   Chapter 41

  Quinn

  I wasn’t sure if I was dreaming or not at the sound of my phone ringing as I stretched my arm over to the night table and reached around for it.

  “Yeah,” I mumbled.

  “Quinn. It’s Jim.” The sense of urgency in his voice woke me. “I thought you were staying there with Lacey?”

  “I am.”

  “Well, what the hell is she doing at Wises’ bar?”

  I rolled over to find Lacey’s side of the bed empty.

  “Fuck!” I shouted. “I was fuckin’ dead asleep.”

  “I’m on my way to pick you up. I got one of my new undercover guys posing as a customer. I sent him in after you said you bumped into Symons to see if he could get some more information. He just texted me to tell me a pretty dark-haired women walked in, and as she was getting ready to leave he heard Symons call her Lacey. Quinn, you didn’t tell her anything about what we found out today, did you?”

  “No, I swear to God, I didn’t,” I replied as I got out of bed and frantically dressed.

  “Symons must’ve gotten ahold of her somehow.”

  None of this was making sense. Why would Lacey agree to meet him? She seemed so angry with him. I would’ve thought he’d be the last person she would want to meet up with. “I don’t know, man…if he did, he’s setting her up.” I felt a knot form deep inside my stomach. I should have told Lacey everything we found out today. Now she was in danger because I chose to hold back from her. If something happened to her because of it, I would never be able to live with myself.

  “I’m about two minutes out,” Jim said.

  “I’ll be waiting,” I replied, grabbing my gun from the table and heading out the door.

  ***

  “There’s her Jeep,” I said once we pulled up to the bar. “Where are you going?” I shouted when he circled past.

  “We can’t go busting through the front door. I’m waiting to hear what my guy I’ve got in there has to say, and I got backup on the way.”

  “Well, we can’t just sit here and wait until something happens. Each minute that passes is a minute he could be hurting Lacey.”

  “Quinn, look, I understand how you feel about this girl, and I promise you we’re going to do our best to make sure she’s okay, but you know better than anyone how we have to play this. Don’t let your emotions get in the way of your police know-how. The detective I have in there is keeping an open communication with me. Al Wise is gone for the night and the only other people who are in there are Symons, Mike Wise, and Lacey.”

  If he was trying to put my mind at ease with that information, he had just made me feel worse. The two men who were in there were the most dangerous ones to Lacey. One of which was obsessed with her, and the other who raped her and murdered her husband. I felt sick thinking about the danger she was in. I bit my bottom lip, beating myself up inside for falling asleep, and most of all for not telling Lacey everything like I had promised her.

  “Did he text you back?”

  He looked down at his phone and didn’t reply.

  “What’d he say, Jim?”

  “Quinn, just—he’s got it under control.”

  I shook my head and opened the car door. I was the one who got Lacey into this mess by withholding information from her, and I was the one who was going to get her out of it. I refused to put her life in the hands of some rookie detective.

  “Quinn, get the hell back here!” Jim shouted as I made my way to the back entrance, totally ignoring him. Pulling out my gun, I crept down the hallway that led to the bar area, stopping to listen to what was going on.

  “And who are you texting, brother?” I peeked around the corner to find Mike Wise approaching the lone customer at the bar, who I was assuming was the undercover.

  “My girlfriend,” he replied. My eyes moved to Symons, whose back was toward me, but I could tell he had a chokehold around Lacey’s neck.

  My adrenaline was pumping. I had the perfect shot to take Symons’ ass down, but I didn’t want to put Lacey in any more danger if I did that.

  “Let me see that fuckin’ phone!” Wise shouted, grabbing it from the detective’s hand. I was hoping this guy was smart enough to have erased his conversation between him and Jim. Wise picked up the phone and looked it over. “You told your bitch you’d be home by one, you better get going.”

  Okay, I gave the guy more credit than I initially thought. Not only did he erase the messages between him and Jim, he also made up messages between him and his girlfriend.

  “Ah, nah, fuck her, man. I’m staying for another beer,” he mumbled.

  “No, you’re not…I have some unfinished business, my friend and I need to go over with this pretty lady here, and it’s highly confidential.”

  I could hear my breathing getting louder. Don’t blow this. Don’t blow this.

  “Can’t I stay and have another beer? I promise I’ll keep whatever it is you discuss to myself.”

  “No…we’re closed. So leave now!” Wise shouted.

  “Okay, okay, man,” he replied, reaching for his gun as Wise began to walk away.

  “Whatcha reachin’ for, man?” Wise demanded when he turned around sharply, catching the detective in the act.

  “My wallet.”

  “You sure about that?”

  “Because if it’s what I think it is, we got one of those too.” He reached in his pocket and pulled out a gun, showing it to the detective.

  “I don’t have a gun, man. Look, it was just my wallet.” The detective held his wallet in the air as Wise came closer to him, pointing the gun right at his head.

  “Yeah, well, let’s take a look and make sure you’re not lying.” He patted the detective down and pulled his piece from his holster. “Well, well, well. What do we have here?” He shook his head and looked it over, sliding it down the bar and out of reach. “I don’t like liars, man.” The anger in his voice escalated. “And I don’t like cops, and something tells me you’re both.” He slowly moved his gun to the detective’s head and said in a loud whisper, “I guess I’m gonna have to take care of this problem.”

  Without hesitation, I lifted my gun and cocked the trigger, firing off two shots right into Wise’s shoulder. I flashed the detective my badge just as I saw Symons drop to the ground and Lacey break free from the chokehold he had her in. I ran over to cuff Symons while he lay on the ground screaming in pain with a knife he must’ve been holding to Lacey’s throat lying beside him. It had all happened so quickly, but I was assuming Lacey had used one of her self-defense moves on him. I cuffed him and forced him to stand up, only to find Lacey on the other side of the bar with Wise’s gun in her hand.

  “Lacey, put it down!” I shouted. The place was now swarming with police officers as one of them came in to take Symons away, allowing me to talk Lacey down from what she was about to do. “Lacey,” I shouted once again as I got closer, putting my hand up to stop the detective who was approaching her. She was totally zoned out, standing over an injured Wise, pointing his gun at him.

  “How does it feel to be on the other end of this gun?” she whispered, her voice almost unrecognizable. “Does it make you feel helpless?”

  “Fuck you, bitch!” Wise murmured as blood seeped from his shoulder.

  “What was that? I didn’t hear you,” Lacey questioned, kicking him in his wound.

  “You fuckin’ bitch! I should have killed you that night after I fucked you!”

  Her hands were shaking as she cocked the trigger and brought the gun closer to him.

  “Lacey, please, give me the gun,” I pleaded. “He’s not worth it. Let him go to jail for the rest of his life. Don’t let him take the easy way out. You’ll never forgive yourself if you do this. Please, Lacey, give me the gun.”

  She looked down at Wise once again, giving him another swift kick, this time in the balls. I was hoping it gave her as much satisfaction as it did me to see him curl up in a ball like a little bitch and scream in pain. “He’s ri
ght. I’m not gonna let you take the easy way out after what you did to my husband and me. I want you to rot in prison and know what it’s like to have someone rape you. That’s what I want, and then after you live out your days behind bars, being someone’s bitch, I hope you rot in hell, you son of a bitch.”

  She loosened her grip from the gun, allowing me to grab it from her. I handed it to the undercover cop as one of the other cops rushed over to Wise and cuffed him, pulling him up and taking him away. Lacey turned around to face me, her tough demeanor from moments ago now gone as tears poured down her face. I threw my arms around her and crushed her against me. “It’s okay, Lacey. It’s over.” I didn’t loosen my hold as her entire body trembled, and she continued to sob in my arms. “It’s okay,” I whispered over and over to her.

  “You okay?” Jim asked the undercover cop who had been witness to it all.

  “Yeah, I’m fine,” he replied, still a little rattled. “I thought for sure I was a dead man tonight.” His voice shook. “I can’t thank you enough, man,” he said, turning his attention to me.

  “No problem, man. Thank you for letting us know she was here.”

  “I’m Paul Vetnor, by the way.” He extended his hand to me.

  “Quinn Lavery,” I replied, shaking it back.

  “When you’re feeling up to it, Detective, we’re gonna need a statement from you,” Jim said.

  “Yeah, no problem. Thanks again,” he directed to me before walking away.

  “You!” Jim bellowed, focusing his attention on me. “I can’t thank you enough for not listening to me and saving my guy’s life.” He shook his head and cracked a smile.

  “Stick with me and you’ll learn,” I joked.

  “You’re a good cop, Quinn.”

  “Well, that means a lot coming from you.”

  “Are you okay, Mrs. Sullivan?” he asked Lacey, who still had her arms wrapped tightly around me, resting her head on my shoulder.