AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"Liam," I start, my heart thudding against my ribcage. "My brother and sisters have decided. We're leaving for Miami tomorrow."
A flicker of something crosses his face, something I can’t quite decipher. "I see."
I take a step closer, my hands wringing themselves in front of me. "I came to say . . . thank you for all you've done for Mom. She's alive because of you."
His gaze holds mine, heavy with things unsaid. "It’s the least I could do," he murmurs.
"Still," I insist, "I want to thank you."
We stand there, two souls adrift in the sea of our shared history, until the weight of the silence becomes too much to bear, and I retreat.
Back in the library, I collapse onto the recliner-turned bed, the events of the day replaying in my mind like a film stuck on a loop, the image of Liam, trapped in a room in his own house, lingering.There’s something off about him, but what?
Well, someone did try to kill him.
Chapter thirty-one
CHASING THE GHOST OF AN ASSASSIN.
LIAM
The house has been serenely quiet since the Ricardos left, and I finally have the freedom to move around in my own house as I please. I dial Father O'Malley's number and anxiously wait for him to pick up. The familiar warmth in his voice calms me as we exchange greetings. Father O’Malley is the father I should have had, or one just like him. Who decides, upon creation, which monster gets which child?
"Father, have you heard anything about the assassination attempt on my life or Max's death?" I ask, my voice faltering slightly.
"Nothing, Liam," he replies, compassion evident in his tone. "It's eerily quiet like it never even happened."
My gut clenches at his words, but I push forward.
"That is very strange. A man died, Father. How can that be nothing?” I ask in wonderment. “I can’t do too much from here, Father. I was wondering if I could lean on you a little longer.I know the strain I’m putting on you, but I don’t know who I can trust and who I can’t. I was thinking of hiring a private investigator to investigate this madness. Can you hire a private investigation firm for me? I don't want to risk exposing my location."
"Of course, Liam. Your safety is my top priority," Father O'Malley reassures me.
"Thank you, Father," I say, relief washing over me before another thought surfaces, and I can't hold it back any longer. "Aren’t you concerned about your safety? If whoever wants me dead knows you're helping me, they might come after you, too."
“The thought did occur to me, I must say. We are fighting a demon we do not know and cannot see. In this case, the real Devil is beginning to look like childs’ play—at least with him, I know where to find him and what ammunition to use. I know the risks, son. Don’t you worry. Your secret is safe with me.”
“How are you on torture?” I ask jokingly, hoping I don’t scare him into rethinking his most generous offer of assistance.
“Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that,” Father O’Malley chuckles quietly. “I have not been tested yet.”
A weak chuckle escapes my lips, matching his, as I imagine the unflappable priest being interrogated by people who seem to have such disregard for human life.
Father O'Malley wastes no time finding a reputable firm called "The Silent Watch" and gives me the details of their point person, a woman named Sarah.
"Sarah and her team will only deal with me as your advocate," Father O'Malley explains, setting my mind at ease.
"Thank you, Father," I say gratefully, “I will owe you till the day I die.”
“May it be a long, long time from now.” Father O'Malley says, and it feels like a prayer.
Within one week of hire, Sarah and her team email a detailed plan of action.
Yesterday morning, I got my first preliminary report from Sarah through Father O’Malley. They’d reviewed security footage from my security company and the neighborhood and interviewed my neighbors.
They also pinned down the weapon used in the attack from a spent cartridge casing they found in the bushes, where we all think the shooter was skulking around, waiting for me to come home so he could kill me. The cops must have missed one for whatever reason. Thank God for that. They say He does work in mysterious ways. The cops missing this prime piece of evidence is my salvation.
They have also tagged every member of my project Africa team, even the ones who were long gone before the hit.
