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I don’t offer a reply because I’m too busy trying to work out why Rick and his son are at my house. What the actual hell is going on.
Seb leaves me in my room, telling me Rick has made breakfast and to come down when I’m ready.
I stand frozen in the room for several minutes before heading for the shower. The hospital told me that the cuts to my back weren’t deep enough to need stitches but not to soak them for too long, so a quick shower should be fine. Washing my hair with one hand is a nightmare, but one I’ve done before.
Once I’m clean and dressed, I hesitate at the door. I’m guessing Rick is here to go over what happened, and whilst I’m keen to find out, I’m also a little scared about what will happen.
After all, I killed a man and don’t expect to go unpunished.
Thirty-Seven
Camryn
Voices reach me from the kitchen as I near the bottom of the stairs. Max’s being the most prominent as he tells Seb about his art project at school. A sharp stab of pain hits my chest as I listen to him, knowing that Faye would have been around the same age as him now.
I’ve avoided being around kids since Faye’s death as it used to bring on awful panic attacks, but I don’t feel anything now except sadness at her loss. It brings a smile to my face when I hear Seb and Max laughing, and I’m so lost in my own memories that I don’t hear Rick approaching.
“Hey, you okay?” He stops in front of me, frowning in concern.
“Yeah,” I say wistfully, watching as Rick raises his eyebrows not totally convinced. “Honestly, I’m fine, Rick. Now, Seb mentioned something about breakfast.” Walking past him to the kitchen.
Rick has made enough food to feed a starving third world country, and I was worried about it going to waste seeing as my appetite isn’t what it normally is. But I needn’t have bothered as Seb, Rick and Max demolish it in the space of twenty minutes.
Once the plates are cleared away, Seb takes Max out to the garden, and I watch as they kick a ball around. I sit at the breakfast bar nursing the dregs of my tea as Rick comes and joins me. I know what’s coming and think I’m ready, but I couldn’t have been more wrong.
Rick avoids mentioning Ryder as much as possible, even though he was trying to be subtle about it. Rick tells me that whilst their main business is security and private bodyguard work, they have another side to their business. They take on jobs from other organisations that often involve undercover work and recovering lost or stolen items. I get the distinct impression he’s not just talking about pieces of rare art or jewellery but people too.
Apparently, Sean had been wanted for some time, but nobody was able to connect anything to him. They were approached with the suggestion of sending in an undercover operative, Tyler, hoping they could gain enough evidence to put him away. That’s why Tyler wanted information from Sean’s laptop. Sean was connected to a sex trafficking ring; young girls snatched off the street or sold by parents to pay off drug or gambling debts.
I feel sick as I listen to Rick telling me how the man I once loved, and the father of my child was involved in such a disgusting business. When I think about all the terrible things he did me, and that he probably did or allowed to happen to other young girls, I almost vomit. I wish I could kill him again and make him suffer more.
“After Faye’s death things got worse for you, and Tyler was worried that Sean would kill you. He came to me asking if there was a way to get you out, but we needed evidence, and you were the only one that could get close enough to get it. I’m sorry for that, Cam. I know how much of a risk you took when you retrieved that information from Sean’s laptop.
“Your mum and Faye’s death had always seemed suspicious to us, but we didn’t have anything to go on until recently.”
“What do you mean until recently?”
“I believe that you received some information that made you question their death.” I nod. “We did too. Whoever sent you those articles and the autopsy report also sent them to us. We still don’t know who that was, but we are looking into it. We believe that Sean never intended for Faye to be in the car that day and think the accident was meant for you and your mum.”
I confirm Rick’s belief when I tell him what Sean said about wanting me dead and marrying off our daughter. I’m torn between being grateful Faye was in that car and wishing she had survived. Knowing what I know now, I wouldn’t have wished for her to suffer at the hands of that perverted arsehole, Daniel. Rick must see the torn look in my face.
“I need you to know that if Sean had succeeded in killing you, we would never have let him go through with his plan. I would have personally made sure that Faye was safe and taken care of.” Rick rests his hand on mine, I squeeze his fingers to let him know I appreciate it as the lump in my throat prevents me from speaking.
I clear my throat and swallow thickly before asking Rick about Russ.
“Russ joined the team three years ago, and it looks like we weren’t the only ones to think about having a person on the inside. What Sean didn’t consider is that we keep a very tight ship and only the three of us know all the details of any of the jobs we do. Unfortunately, Russ had proved to be quite an asset, and when Ryder wanted security for you, Russ and Scott were the best we had available. Again, I apologise for that error in judgement.”
Rick goes on to tell me that Russ had been using the house over the road to spy on Jamie and me. It had been him that had left the back door open and stolen the key from the kitchen hook. I question Rick about what Seb said about Russ being charged with other things, and he tells me that the estate agent for the house had been found dead in his apartment. That means Rick is being charged with his murder along with the attempted murder of Jamie.
“And what about me, I killed Sean, so I’m guessing that the police will want to talk to me?”
Rick shakes his head. “No, Cam. The police aren’t directly involved and means that Sean’s death won’t be investigated. We have all given our statements to the organisation that hired us confirming Sean was killed in self-defence. You don’t need to worry about anything else.” I give him a sceptical look, but he doesn’t say anymore on the matter. Given everything he’s told me today my brain doesn’t have the space to deal with it right now.
“There’s one more thing, and no, Ryder didn’t put me up to it. In fact, he’ll probably throttle me for saying it.” He holds his hand up when I go to interrupt him. I feel like a reprimanded child so shut my mouth and drop my head. “Ryder wasn’t allowed to tell you about the details of our operation, nothing, not even that he knew about what you went through. That’s not to say that he didn’t want to, believe me, he did. And when I found about you and him and that he wanted to tell you, it was me that stopped him. I reminded him that this was a job, and that had to come first.”
“Yeah, well it doesn’t matter anymore, does it?” I say indifferently.
“That’s where you’re wrong, it does matter. He was scared, Cam. He’ll never admit it, and if you tell him, I’ll deny, deny, deny.” Rick gets up from the stool, coming round to my side. “Give him a chance to explain, okay. That’s all I’m asking.”
