Page 50 of The Facilitator: Part 3
I also prayed it was the unregistered gun my father had always boasted about owning. I had a story, however, there had been times he’d broken into my house that the police were aware of.
The smell of blood and brain matter was overwhelming. I stepped away and beyond the car we’ddisabled. It wasn’t long before the police arrived. I was questioned and facts were checked. By that point, I’d been told Alex had arrived at the hospital, and his story collaborated with mine. We’d slashed his tires to stop any escape and when we were ready to barge into the house, he took a call. He panicked, we thought, ran outside waving a handgun. He was manic and before we could do anything, he put the muzzle into his mouth and pulled the trigger.
I was sure he’d sustained the obvious bruise to his temple when he fell. I had moved him, I’d said, I wanted to check for a pulse and we wanted to get Dominic. A half an hour later, I was driven back to Vivienne’s. Obviously, I was required at the station at some point.
Lauren raced from the front door when she saw the vehicle. She flew into my arms, knocking me off balance a little.
“Oh, God, Mackenzie,” she said, shaking.
“It’s okay. It’s okay,” I said.
“They arrested Addison,” she said, and I frowned at her.
“She was halfway up the drive with the money,” Lauren said. “The police came here to give an update and caught her. We didn’t call the police, we didn’t need to. She told them where you were and why.”
“What did she say?”
“That Daniel had kidnapped the child. She wasn’tinvolved. Even when she was questioned why she had the sports bag, she said she had been told by us to look after it,” Lauren said, spitting the words. “Anyway, I’m under arrest, I think.”
I stopped walking. “You’re what?”
“I was so mad, Mackenzie, I don’t think she was in on it, but she was going walk off with the money. When the policeman brought her back, I punched her,” she said.
It was then I noticed grazed knuckles.
“What the fuck…?” I said. I closed my eyes.
“Mackenzie?”
“The baby…” I closed my mouth quickly and then opened my eyes. “Jesus, Lauren,” I said, and then laughed.
We got in and Vivienne hugged me, she regaled me with the story of my wife beating my ex-wife. I was sure it had gotten exaggerated but I worried she might have exerted herself.
I sat her down and told her that her son had died by suicide. I hated myself for lying to her and I knew it was a secret Alex and I would take to our graves. She nodded but the sadness that clouded her features showed. Her once bright blue eyes were gray and red tinged. Dullness sucked the life from her skin. She looked pained and wrinkled.
I showered and we waited for news. The policearrived again and I was asked for a second statement. When I repeated what Daniel had done, Vivienne clamped her hands over her ears. He was still her son, regardless, and I think there was a moment when Alex and I had forgotten about that. She shed tears, not for Daniel, but the life that had been lost that could have been.
Vivienne was also asked why she had disinherited her son and the whole sordid tale was told. It went back years, the officer was told. There were enough records for the police to be satisfied he was troubled and he was high. I wouldn’t be convinced that we’d gotten away with it until we had, though.
Alex returned an hour or so later. Dominic was being kept for observation and Gabriella was staying with him. He assured us there was nothing that a breast or two couldn’t fix; they just wanted to monitor him. He looked exhausted, his hair was disheveled, and his clothes dirty. While he took a shower and cleaned up, I poured him a whiskey and used the excuse that he might just want to sit alone and process, but with a drink, as the reason I headed to his bedroom.
“Jesus, Mackenzie, you startled me,” he said when he left the en suite.
I chuckled. “We need a moment,” I said.
With just a towel wrapped around his waist, he saton the bed and took the glass from my hand. His shook as he lifted it to his mouth and gulped down the drink.
“Have you killed someone before?” I asked.
He looked at me. “Once. A long time ago and it was an accident. A hunting accident of all things.”
He told me of a man who had run through the woods after being caught poaching and straight into a line of guns.
“You?”
“Once, as you know, and I was fucked up on drugs and drink.”
“It’s not fun, is it?” he said quietly. I knew what he’d done would trouble him. All I hoped was thestick up his assthat Gabriella affectionately said he had, wouldn’t stop him from getting help if needed. “It was needed.” He nodded as if to convince himself.
