AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Redemption. Initially, he may have wanted those who betrayed him to pay for their misdeeds. In the end, though, he realized only one being can play God.”
“‘L’humaine sagesse était tout entière dans ces deux mots: attendre et espérer,’” Domenic recited with perfect French enunciation. “‘All human wisdom is contained in these two words—’”
“‘Wait and hope,’” John finished, familiar with the famous last line of the book.
“Wait and hope.”
He held John’s gaze for a moment, then cleared his throat. “Now, what can I do for you today? I can only assume you didn’t come all the way out here to give me a book and discuss which of the myriad of themes present in Dumas’ writing is the more important one.”
“You’re right.” John squared his shoulders, steeling himself for the battle of wits he was certain was about to be unleashed.
After nearly thirty years as a federal agent, he’d confronted more criminals than he could possibly count.
But Domenic Jaskulski was the only one who’d ever gotten under his skin. And not just because of his personal connection to Jaskulski’s crimes. It went deeper than that.
Opening the folder, John pushed a photo toward Domenic, carefully studying his reaction. He knew this man wouldn’t voluntarily give him the information he was after.
But there was a lot John could pick up from his body language.
And as Domenic’s eyes went to the image of Claire Hale in the bathtub, body submerged in water, an arm dangling over the side, blood staining the tile below, his body language made his excitement clear. Pupils dilated, jaw twitched, breathing increased.
“She’s beautiful,” he remarked, almost in awe.
“She’s dead,” John snipped back.
“Do you not find beauty in death, Agent Curran?”
“Not exactly.”
“You see, that’s your problem.” He folded his hands, his handcuffs clanging against the metal table. “That’s the majority of society’s problem. You all look at death as this horrible occurrence instead of appreciating it for the gift it is.”
John barked out a disbelieving laugh. “You think death is a gift?”
“An end to suffering? Absolutely.”
“You mean an end to life.”
“No…,” Domenic drew out. “I mean an end to suffering. Not everyone leads a happy life, Agent Curran. Not everyone wants to live. For some people, living is a form of torture.” He paused, lips curving into a sly smile, causing the hairs on the back of John’s nape to stand on end. “Take your dear niece, Annabelle, for instance.”
“What about Annabelle?” John asked through a clenched jaw, hands fisting.
It took every ounce of restraint he possessed to resist the temptation to break every tooth in Domenic’s charming smile. He didn’t deserve to so much as think of Annabelle, let alone say her name.
Domenic leaned toward him as much as the cuffs would allow. “Do you honestly think she was happy? Her father dies… That would be your brother,” he added with a hint of superiority.
“I’m aware.”
“Then, when she’s a very impressionable and beautiful young teenager, her mom remarries.”
“A teacher. And church deacon. A good man.”
“Oh, come now, Agent Curran. I thought you were smarter than that. You saw me for who I was before anyone else did. Surely you saw the same in the man who took your brother’s place.”
“What are you suggesting?” John asked as evenly as possible, fighting to suppress his emotions. That was what Domenic wanted. What he got off on.
John refused to give in.
“You know exactly what I’m suggesting.” His dark eyes bore into John’s, not a single hint of deception within. “The same thing I’m sure you perhaps questioned yourself on the rare occasion you took a break from this obsession you have with your career and spent some time with your niece. You must have noticed how uneasy she became whenever her dear old stepdad was around.” His lips curled into a sneer, voice becoming more malevolent. “Whenever he would touch her. And he touched her a lot, didn’t he?”
