Revenge (20 page)

Exiting the car, he hobbled into the house. He groped for the light switch, flipped it, and nothing happened.

“What the hell?”

Like a madman, he continued flipping the switch. Giving up, he fumbled through the room. A sound behind him brought him to a stop. Jared twisted.

A fist smashed into his face, and he slammed into the floor. Cold steel pressed into the side of his head as a figure bent over him.

“
Allô
, Savard.”

Muscles screaming, Remy dragged Jared's body over the floor. With help from Vic, they managed to prop the unconscious man onto the chair. Quickly they strapped Jared's arms to the armrests and his chest to the back, then lashed his ankles to the chair legs.

Remy stepped back, wiping his hands on his jeans.

“He's heavy.” Vic arched her back, wincing. “What happened to his face? There's no way you did that much damage.”

Bending over, he studied the red and black bruise surrounding Jared's nose. Dried blood flaked at the corners. “Looks like someone broke his nose.”

“Think Alphonse did it?”

Remy shook his head. “Alphonse doesn't dirty his hands. He sends guys like Savard out to do that.” He grunted. “This was personal. Whoever did it wanted to inflict as much damage on him possible.”

And this bothered him. Savard wasn't one to allow anyone to get the drop on him. When they ambushed him in his home, Savard didn't put up the fight he expected. The damage he saw wasn't restricted to the face—Remy spotted a wicked bruise on Savard's arm. Who had been that capable of taking him down?

“Guess we'll ask him when he comes to.” Vic rotated, her face screwing up in disgust. “This place reeks.”

“Ignore it. We've got work to do. Get out the smelling salts. Let's rouse him.”

She pulled a packet from her pocket and ripped it open.

Remy took the packet and held it under Savard's nose. After a few seconds, his lids twitched. Remy slapped his cheeks. “Wake up, Jared.”

Savard's eyes fluttered open as he groaned and whipped his head away from the salts and Remy's hand. His gaze darted back and forth until he realized he was restrained. With a roar, he struggled, rocking the chair side to side.

Remy slipped the Ruger into his hand and pointed it at Jared's face. “Nuh-uh, you sit still.”

A malicious glint passed through Savard's eyes as he leaned into the backrest. “I'm gonna make you eat that gun.”

“Not today.”

Jared peered around Remy. “Slater? I should've figured you'd chase her skirt, LeBeau.”

Behind him, Vic sniffed. Remy shifted to block her from view.

Jared refocused on him. “What? You figured you'd drag me out here to my li'l place and beat a confession out of me. You don't have the balls.”

“See,
partner
, you don't really know me.”

“You're a cop's cop. Whatever you've got planned for me goes against everything you've been trained to do.”

“That's where you're wrong.” Remy returned the Ruger to its holster. “I'm certain you got a good look at the boy, Iggi, and Eddy, too, if he manages to crawl back.”

“Beating my men means nothin'. You're still a puss.”

“I know you brought my wife here. The pictures you sent me last month proved it.” Remy inched closer, his left hand grasping the handle sticking out of the back of his waistband. “Repeatedly raped her. Tortured her, then drained the life out of her. After you cut her ring finger off. You sadistic bastard. You like it? Liked dominating the DA's daughter? Kinda like dominating the DA himself.”

Jared spit in Remy's face. “Go fuck yourself.”

With speed born of anger and practice, Remy slammed the knife blade deep into Jared's hand. The bastard howled. Giving it a twist, he jerked the blade out and smeared the blood across Jared's grime-covered jeans.

“You're in no position to be pissing me off,
âne
.”

“We'll see who's pissing who off,” Jared said between pants.

“Enough chitchat. Get on with the reason we dragged his sorry ass out here,” Vic demanded.

Remy looked over his shoulder. She waved her hand, a gesture to get on with it. Ever the impatient one. Smiling, he zeroed in on Jared. “Now the real fun begins.”

Placing the tip of the knife between Jared's fingers, he rotated it until the blade scraped against the webbing. Jared's hand spasmed then stilled.

“I think a dose of your own sadistic medicine is in order. You answer my questions, I don't dismember you.”

“Threaten all you want, swamp rat. I can take whatever you dish out. I still won't answer you.”

“Calling a bluff?”

“Damn straight I'm calling your bluff. You're nothin' more than a coon ass chickenshit,” Jared sneered. “I've gutted men better than you.”

“That's where you underestimate me,
chien
.” Remy straightened, palming the knife. “Sorely underestimated me when you sent that assassin.”

“You're the one who did that killing?” Disbelief dripped from Jared's words.

“The first pawn to fall. Eventually I'll eliminate each piece until I get to the king.”

A glimmer of concern passed over Jared's features. He shifted in the chair. “The king? You think that's me?”

“You're nothing. Just another pawn. What I don't understand is how you figured into this. What did you do to earn Alphonse's attention?”

Pale spots appeared, washing out the bruises. Jared wheezed. Color returned as he narrowed his eyes. “How did you hear that name?”

Remy examined the knife blade. “So, Alphonse does exist?”

“Who told you?” Jared's voice carried an eerie edge.

Remy glared at his prisoner. “A dead assassin told me.”

Jared hissed obscenities.

“
Mais oui!
You'll answer me.” Remy bent to eye level. “Who is Alphonse? Why did he send you after me?”

Chuckling, Jared shook his head. “To kill you. What else?”

“Why? What did I do to make him give the order?”

“Think real hard.” His parasitic leer landed on the woman behind Remy. “Real hard.”

“The Slater case? You were the one who told me about that.”

Another chuckle and Jared tilted his head down a fraction. “Exactly. Who do you think carried out that order?”

“Son of a bitch!”

Remy spun and caught Vic before she could attack. He hauled her backward, his efforts rewarded with a few solid blows to his torso and legs.

“I'll kill him. Let me go.”

He slammed her into the wall, pinning her arms above her head. “Vic, stop it.”

She tried to buck against him, her movements only making her smack the back of her head into the wall. Her hair slipped free of the ponytail and curtained her pain-filled face.

“Victoria,
regardez-moi
.”
Look at me.

She ceased her struggling, but grief remained prominent in her face.

“He's trying to get to you, and you just let him.”

Jared's sadistic laugh echoed in the dilapidated cabin. He snorted, moaning when it apparently hurt. “You're gonna kill me anyway. Slater might as well know it was me who offed her parents.”

Vic sagged in Remy's grip as a tear escaped and tracked down her cheek.

He closed his eyes and sighed. He couldn't scratch the surface of the grief she was experiencing. The years Vic had spent trying to learn who had killed her parents suddenly ending in this way. Remy should release her and let her rip out Jared's throat.

“Let me do it,” he whispered.

Her throat bobbed. Shuddering, she gave him a curt nod.

Releasing her arms, he stepped back and, with a roll of his shoulders, faced Jared. “If you killed the Slaters, who ordered the hit?”

A snake smile appeared. “Who else? Alphonse. I've been in the bloodsucker's pocket ever since.”

“Damn cocky bastard,” Vic muttered.

“Why?” Remy asked.

Jared shrugged best he could with his arms trapped. “Why do I care? As long as I get paid, I do what I'm told.”

“And what about me?” Remy crossed the floor in a few strides. “You were ordered to kill me, but you didn't finish the job.”

“No one survives the kind of injuries I gave you.”

“
Non
, but I did. You let your lust get the better of you.”

“I made that mistake twice with you, LeBeau.”

Jolted by the answer, he flinched. “Come again?”

Jared clamped his mouth shut.

Grabbing a fistful of Jared's coiled hair, Remy yanked him forward. “Explain yourself.”

“I don't have to explain nothin' to you.”

Remy twisted his head to the side, pulling it down until Jared cried out. “Who broke your nose? I didn't hit you hard enough to do that much damage.”

Rage filled Jared. Tremors overtook his body, and he looked like a demon possessed him. “Some redheaded bitch did this.”

The words slapped Remy. He loosened his grip and staggered back. A redhead? Cody?

“That's right, LeBeau. Your woman did this.”

Realization penetrated his shock. Jared must have attacked Cody and she'd fought back.

“Wonder if her boy-toy enjoyed her company in bed, too?”

Boy-toy? Anderson. She'd been sleeping with Anderson? Remy's head reeled. It was true? What he saw going on between his partner and Cody the other night was true?

Jared snickered. “You know, I enjoyed my li'l go around with your woman. She was a real treat to finish off.”

Fury burst inside Remy's head. An animalistic roar ripped from his throat as he swung a wicked punch into Jared's face. Bones cracked under his fist. Blood spurted over his knuckles. The restrained man sagged in the chair, his head tipping aside. Remy raised his left fist, ready to strike another blow when Vic's arm locked around his.

“No more, LeBeau. He's unconscious.”

“I'll kill him.”

“Later.” This time she propelled him away from Jared. “It's not fair to kill him while he's not aware of it.”

Remy heaved air, the rage boiling in his mind. The common sense part of him knew Jared made the comment to get a rise out of him. But he'd stated what had been beating away at Remy's head for last few days. Cody had been cheating on him with Anderson.

And now she might be dead.

“You're going to believe that lying SOB?” Vic tightened her hold on him. “Really, LeBeau? After what you've been through with him you'll believe some bullshit he spews at you to piss you off? If she loves you as much as you claim, she's not doing it. And she's not dead.”

Gradually his breathing returned to normal and the hate leaked from his body. Vic was right. Jared was a known liar. But Remy had seen with his own eyes Cody's betrayal. Had heard her tell him she wasn't waiting for him to come back.

“We'll check out his claims. But look at the evidence in front of you.” Vic pointed at Jared. “He's been beaten, and by the looks of things, that's his blood all over him. He didn't bring her back here, we didn't find her body in his car, and he sure as hell didn't have her stashed at his house. From the time we saw him leave his house to when he came back isn't enough time for him to track her down, rape, and murder her, after he obviously got his ass kicked.”

Shrugging, he freed himself from her hold. “Would you shut up.”

Vic swatted him upside the head. “You're freaking pigheaded, LeBeau. Let's go back to my place and regroup. The bastard can sit here and rot.”

Vic shut her front door with a clap. Remy headed for the kitchen. Jared's blood stained his knuckles, and he wanted it gone.

As he rounded the kitchen doorway, a screeching yowl, followed by sharp claws embedding into his pant leg made Remy jerk back.

“
Merde!
” He smacked into the opposite doorframe, shaking his leg to try to dislodge the cat. “Get it off.”

The cat clung to him, hissing and striking. Remy grunted in pain as its claws caught flesh.

Vic managed to grab the feral beast by the scruff of its neck and yank it off his leg. The cat thrashed, swiping its claws at her. She tossed it aside. Landing on its paws, the cat darted up the stairs and vanished.

Remy gingerly sat on the floor and rolled up his pant leg to examine the wounds. Blood streaked his leg, trickling out of the torn flesh where the claws had sunk in. “Where did you get that cat? From Satan?”

Vic had grabbed a dish towel from the sink and knelt next to him. “I inherited it. Stupid thing belongs to my brother.”

He winced as she pressed the towel on the wounds. “When does a career Navy man have time for a cat?”

Shaking her head, Vic rose and moved to the fridge where she opened the freezer door. “It was a stray.” She took an ice tray from the freezer, set it on the counter, and flung the door shut. As she dumped ice into a plastic bag, she said, “He took pity on it the last time he was home. He got shipped out again, and I'm stuck with the damn thing.” She picked up the bag and handed it to him, then sat on the floor across from him. “Keeps the pests out of the house at least. You gonna be okay?”

Laying his leg flat, Remy held the bag over the scratches. “I've had worse injuries.” He let his head rest against the molded door frame.

The drive back from Jared's death cabin gave Remy time to cool off. Vic had been right; there wasn't enough evidence to verify that Jared killed Cody. But there was plenty to prove that Cody had retaliated and taken down a man twice her size. How had a woman who, just weeks ago, was suffering from horrific flashbacks and post-traumatic stress manage to break a man's nose and not freeze up?

“Your woman must have an iron will to be able to take on Jared and leave him looking like hamburger.” Vic was always a dangerous mind reader.