The Heart of A Killer (41 page)

She’d never seen it coming.

It was going to take everything inside her not to leap at him and dig her fingers in his eyes, to try to wrestle the knife from him and stab him with it. Violent rage filled her, but she had to play it cool, had to keep her anger under control until the time was right.

He turned on the small lamp on the table next to the bed. It cast enough light in the room that she could see him. He crouched next to the bed.

“Better?”

She forced an easy smile. “Much better. Thanks.”

“Need another drink?”

“No, I’m good right now.”

“Okay.”

He was quiet, so she sat and tried to get her bearings. With every minute that went by, the fuzziness in her head cleared. But she had no idea how she’d feel physically if she needed to run. She had to test it.

“Roman, I need to go to the bathroom.”

He chewed on his lower lip, then motioned with his head toward the door at the other end of the room. “There’s one in there. You can’t get away. Window’s too small.”

“I’m not trying to get away. I just have to use the bathroom.”

He stood, held the knife out. “Go ahead. Leave the door open.”

Great. She’d at least be able to stand up and test her legs. “Okay, thanks.”

She slid off the bed. A little wobbly at first, but not dizzy. She took slow steps toward the bathroom and went in, turned on the light. Small bathroom, one vanity. Very feminine.

She eased the shower curtain aside and smothered a gasp as she saw Tess lying in the tub, fully clothed and bloodied, a cut across her throat, her lifeless eyes staring up at Anna. She had ligature marks across her wrists and ankles, dried blood there as if she’d been tied up for a long time. There was bruising, too.

Jesus, how long had he kept her prisoner in her own home? Hadn’t someone missed her?

How long had she been dead? Not long, from the looks of her.

Hands shaking, Anna realized she was going to have to keep up a normal front or Roman would likely slip into his delusion completely, and then she’d be in deep trouble. Her stomach clenched when she thought about Tess.

She came out of the bathroom, startled to find Roman leaning against the doorway just outside.

“Oh, hi,” she said, skirting around him to head back toward the bed. His hand shot out and grabbed her wrist.

“Anna.”

She closed her eyes for a brief second, praying Dante and Gabe figured out in a hurry what had happened. They were smart. They’d find her.

She turned to face him. “Yes?”

“I’m in love with you.”

She lifted her chin. “I love you, too, Roman. But I’m feeling a little dizzy right now. Is it okay if I sit down?”

He frowned, looked as if he didn’t believe her. She let her body begin to shake and started to sag. He wrapped an arm around her. “Yeah, right. Forgot about the drug. Let’s get you back to bed. Maybe you need to lay down again.”

“I’m okay,” she said as he got her to the edge and she sat. “I just need to sit for a few more minutes.”

Long enough for the cops to come. For Dante to get here.

For someone to put a bullet in your head, you sick bastard.

Fortunately he sat her on the side of the bed facing the window, so he snugged up against the wall underneath it. The shades were closed, but her position gave her a vantage point now. And with the light on, maybe someone would see her silhouette. Maybe. Please.

“Roman.”

He lifted a hopeful gaze at her. “Yes?”

“Why did you kill George?”

He shook his head back and forth. “George. He knew. He suspected something. He came to me, to talk to me, to tell me I needed help. I had to get rid of him. Too smart for his own good, dammit. He had to go before he told.”

That’s why he killed George. George found out something about Roman, and Roman killed him for it.

“Why did you kill Jeff and my dad?”

He frowned and looked away. “I don’t want to talk about them.”

“I do. It’s important to me. I need to know.”

“You’re always thinking about them. About all of them. It was never about you and me and it needed to be about you and me. And then when I found out
he
was coming back I knew it was time. They all had to die.”

“Is that why you killed them?”

He finally lifted his gaze to hers. “They all had to go so it would just be the two of us. You were always stuck in the past, too wrapped up in it. I had to make it go away. I have to make them all go away, so you’ll focus on me. So you’ll see me. Me!” He beat his chest.

“I’m the one you’re supposed to be with, and you never saw it. All you saw was that night twelve years ago. And Dante. When he came back, he brought the past back with him. I saw it in your eyes. I saw the way you looked at him.

“I had to erase the past, which meant they all had to go. Then you’d be free to think about the future. Then you’d finally see me.”

Roman was deeply screwed up. He was teetering so far on the edge of the cliff she could flick her finger at him and he’d fall off. She was going to have to tread very lightly. “I see you now. I’m sorry it took me so long.”

He looked right through her as if he didn’t even see her, as if he was looking at something else instead. “You still love Dante. I have to kill him so you’ll forget him.”

“Now that I know how you feel—”

He stood abruptly, anger turning his face red as he pointed the knife at her. “No. They have to be gone or you won’t forget. I have to make them disappear, or you’ll keep thinking about them.”

“Who told you that?”

He pointed the knife at her. “I know. If he’s still alive you’ll love him. Gabe has to go, too. They all have to go.”

She stayed silent, pondering a way out. Dante would find her, and they’d both survive this. She had to believe that, had to stay strong and steady so when the time came she could make a move.

“Can I see the house now?”

He shook his head. “No.”

“Roman, please? I’d really like to walk around. Maybe we can have a drink, sit in the living room and talk.”

“You want to sit and talk?”

“Yes. Let’s forget about everyone else and be just you and me.”

His eyes gleamed with excitement. If she only had a sledgehammer…

“Okay. I’ll come help you stand.”

He moved toward her and she caught sight of a red dot hovering against the window shade.

Laser sight. Someone was outside. SWAT? God, she hoped so.

She stood as he came toward her and prayed like hell SWAT could tell the difference between Roman and her.

The window broke with the shot, but Roman hit the ground, pulling her down with him.

Shit. They’d missed. Roman rolled, scrambled to his knees and dragged her in front of him.

Everything happened so fast after that. Roman jerking her out of the bedroom. Glass breaking as someone came busting through the window.

This wasn’t going to end well for one of them.

Dante had Roman in his sights and he was going to take the shot, fuck Pohanski and his order to wait for SWAT.

“You sure about this?” Gabe had asked.

“I’m sure I’m not waiting.”

“Then I’m right behind you.”

Anna was in there and Roman was insane. He had one mission—get in there and get her away from him. The rest of Pohanski’s team could stand around with their dicks in their hands when they got there, but he was going in.

As soon as he saw the silhouette and knew it was Roman, he sighted and took the shot. He saw the shadows moving after the shot and knew he’d missed. So he took off at a run and threw himself through the window, taking the chance that Roman wouldn’t hurt Anna.

He rolled and came up, rifle aimed and ready to fire.

Roman was nowhere to be found. Bathroom was clear except for one dead woman in the tub that had to be Tess. He looked at Gabe and they both grimaced.

Dante moved out of the room at a careful pace, listening for sounds of breathing, looking for shadows in corners, anything that would give him a clue where they’d gone. He knew they wouldn’t leave the house because by now Roman realized the place was surrounded.

Gabe was right behind him, moving in unison, with his back to him, checking to make sure they wouldn’t be ambushed.

Dante stopped, listened, heard nothing and moved into the next bedroom. Empty, so they moved on.

Small house. There were only so many places Roman could hide. He heard a sound and stilled, his head turning in the direction of the noise. He made steps toward the door and turned the knob, opened it.

Stairs. Basement.

“I’m going down alone.”

Dante turned to Gabe. “Halfway down and stop at the overhang. Cover me. If it goes bad, take him down and don’t wait for SWAT.”

“You got it.”

Dante moved down the stairs, trying not to make noise, but it was an old house and wooden stairs creaked. Dammit.

He got to the bottom and hit the concrete floor. It was dark. His eyes were trained and he could see fine. He’d hit plenty of targets on a moonless night.

He scoped out the basement. It was littered with boxes and old furniture as he moved his way around. There was a storage room, but he already knew where they were. He stilled long enough to hear them breathing.

At least Anna was still breathing. If she was alive then there was hope he’d get her out of here.

He moved toward them, keeping himself covered by various beams and boxes because he knew damn well Roman had a weapon on him and wouldn’t hesitate to take him out. He had his vest on, but he wasn’t stupid.

“Roman, let her go.”

Dante held the sniper rifle up against his shoulder, pivoted and pointed at Roman. He was backed into a corner, crouching, with Anna held against him, facing Dante, Anna’s body aligned perfectly with his. Roman wasn’t stupid, either. He had to know they’d bring SWAT.

“I have a knife pointed at her, Dante. You so much as move one fucking hair, I kill her.”

A knife? Why not his gun? Where was his gun?

The tip of the knife was positioned at her neck, right at her carotid artery. One sharp cut and she’d bleed out before medics could get to her.

So far Anna hadn’t said a word. Maybe she was letting Roman play his game.

He kept his voice calm and level. “Why are you doing this?”

“You can’t have her. She’s mine. Why did you have to come back? She’d have been mine if you hadn’t come back.”

He heard the crack in Roman’s voice, knew he was breaking down, but couldn’t feel sorry for him.

“You tell him, Anna. Tell him how you’re mine.”

He saw her face. There was no fear there, only calm. She smiled at him. A signal.

“I won’t tell him that, Roman, because I don’t love you. You’re sick. You killed my father. You lied to me. All these years, you lied to me about who you really were. You killed Jeff and George and you beat my father to death. You killed Tess, too, for no reason. Do you really think I would allow someone like you to have me? If you think that, then cut my throat now, because I’d rather be dead than be with you.”

“What? You said in there—”

She smiled at Dante. “I lied. I love Dante. I’ve always loved him and he’s the only one I’ll ever love.”

Roman raised up and Dante saw the rage on Roman’s face. He knew Anna was going to make her move. He raised his rifle and took aim, but Anna’s head—her entire body—was in the way.

“You bitch!” Roman spun her around. Anna shoved him hard and Roman took a swing at her with the knife. She dropped to the floor.

Dante hit Roman with one shot to the chest. He flew back, the knife dropping out of his hands as he fell.

Dante ran toward Anna. All he saw was blood. Panic hit him with a gut punch. He couldn’t lose her.

Anna grabbed onto her arm to stanch the flow of blood and stared at Roman’s body on the ground.

His eyes were lifeless. He was gone.

She waited for a sense of triumph, of vindication. But all she felt was empty inside. It was over. Dante and Gabe were safe. It was all that mattered to her.

She lifted her gaze to Dante as he ran over to her, laid his rifle down and drew her against him. He pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and wrapped it around the wound on her forearm.

“I’m okay,” she said, laying her head against his chest. “Roman’s dead. We’re all alive. It can’t get much better than that.”

The tactical team burst in through the basement door. “Suspect is down,” Dante said. “We need a medic in here. Anna’s wounded.”

Gabe came flying down the stairs, too, SWAT right on his heels. He skidded to a halt in front of them, then let out a long breath.

“Jesus Christ,” Gabe said as he looked at Anna and frowned. “You’re bleeding.”

“I’m okay.”

He nodded. “Then I’d say that battle came out on the right side.”

Anna settled back against the wall, still trying to catch her breath as a medic started working on her arm.

Pohanski and his team came in, looked at her, at Roman.

“I’m all right,” she said.

He looked at Roman. “Jesus Christ. This is a mess.” He swept his hand over his head. “Roman…”

“I didn’t know,” Anna said to him.

Pohanski shrugged. “Who did? What kind of sick fuck was he? I guess we have some digging to do on him.” He looked at Anna. “You get fixed up. You,” he said to Dante, “did good.”

He walked out. “The media is going to love this shit.”

“I still can’t believe it was Roman,” Dante said.

“He was in love with me, deluded himself into thinking if he got rid of all of you, I’d forget you existed and the two of us could live happily ever after.”

Dante stared incredulously at her. “I had no idea he was so screwed up.”

“Neither did I. He fooled us all.”

“How the hell did he pull it off? He was attacked in the alley. There was video, right?” Gabe asked.

Dante nodded. “He probably hired a guy to beat him up and stab him and kill Hannesey. Then gave him an escape car so he could hightail it out of there.”

“I’d like to know who Roman hired,” Anna said.

“We may never know that,” Dante said.

“How can someone be that messed up?” Gabe asked. “How could he hurt the people he was supposed to care about?”