Page 134 of Ruined By Protection
Montgomery's shoulders slump as the finality of the situation rams into his reality. All the money and connections in the world can't undo what's about to happen.
"By tomorrow morning, you'll be famous," I tell him. "Just not in the way you wanted."
I nod to Noah, who steps forward, raising his gun with its silencer.
I motion for him to release Montgomery from his restraints. Noah raises an eyebrow but doesn't question me, just pulls out a knife and cuts through the zip ties.
Montgomery rubs his wrists, a flicker of hope crossing his face. Funny how demons always cling to their pathetic lives. That hope dies when he observes me pulling skintight black leather gloves on. His eyes stretch wild as Noah hands me the weapon and I press the barrel into the flabby skin under Elliott’s chin.
"Any last words?" I ask, coldly professional.
Montgomery's eyes dart around the room, searching for any escape that isn't there. When he realizes it's over, there’s a strange shift in his expression. No pretense of charm, just his satanic darkness making its final grab for control. "Tell Hazel I'll be waiting for her. In this life or the next, she'll always belong to me."
I pull the trigger. "No. She won't."
Montgomery slumps forward, blood pooling on the silk Persian. With gloved hands, I position the gun into his hand. I ensure the angle looks right, the grip of his fingers—like he put the gun to the base of his skull and blew his brains out.
"Suicide of a guilty man," Noah says, double-checking the positioning. "Classic."
I step back, taking one last look at the man who hurt Hazel. There's no glory in this moment, just the frosty satisfaction that justice has been served.
"Let's go," I say, turning away from Montgomery's body. "We're done here."
Blood spatters my sleeve and a few drops hit my cheek. I can't let Hazel see me like this.
"Daniel," I call, my voice steady despite the adrenaline still pumping through me. "I need a wet towel."
Daniel nods and disappears down the hall while Noah begins the cleanup process, wiping down every surface for any prints we may have left.
"Make sure the text goes out in ten minutes," I remind him. "We’ll be well away from here by then."
"Timer’s already set," Noah confirms, not looking up from his work.
Daniel returns with a dampened hand towel and I methodically wipe down the surfaces of my own body, eliminating all trace of what went down here.
"Bring the car around to the side entrance,” I tell Daniel, handing him the blood-stained towel to dispose of. “We leave in five."
"What about Vanessa?"
I pause, considering this possible glitch. "She comes with us. Make sure she understands what will happen if she talks."
I adjust my cufflinks and head for the room where I left Hazel.
CHAPTER 43
Hazel
Although I love this song and it brings back so many great memories of my mum, there’s no way I can dance and clap while a man is being murdered downstairs. As I pull out the earbuds my hands won't stop shaking.
Is this justice? The question loops in my mind like a scratched record.
Elliott is a murderer. He killed Melissa and his own child. He planned to kill me tonight, and maybe Vanessa too.
But executing him...Can I really make it alright by telling myself his elimination will ensure that the lives of other women will be saved?
What choice did we have though? The legal system is totally corrupt. When it comes to someone like Elliott Montgomery his father's money would have buried the evidence just like Elliott buried Melissa. Money always wins. Money bought my silence for years. Money would have made this all disappear.
I've seen how the world works. I've seen wealthy men walk away from crimes that would put others in prison for life. I'vewatched them laugh about it over aged single malt and fine Cuban cigars.
