Killing Ways

70

Joe and Ren quickly jumped up from the floor and ran down the stairs to where Duke Rawlins lay on his back, his arms splayed out to the side, his head facing away from the glass entry doors. There was a small pool of blood under his head.

Joe and Ren locked eyes.

He’s still alive.

Duke managed to turn his head to look at Joe. ‘Would you have told me about Geoff Riggs? Did it kill you that Donnie Riggs was my brother? Turns out I had a good family, Joe. I had a good family. So fuck you.’

Drunkard father. Serial killer brother. So much goodness.

‘I have no idea who your father is,’ said Joe. He shook his head — a lazy, taunting movement. Then he smiled.

Duke frowned. ‘But...’

‘That email Ren was sent?’ said Joe. ‘It was bullshit. It wasn’t from me. It was copied to me, but it was sent from one of the agents right inside this building to stop you wanting to die, to stop your suicide mission. He knew you wouldn’t want to leave this world without saying goodbye to your father, would you? Geoff Riggs was a kind man to you. But that’s all he was. He wasn’t your father. Who knows who your father could have been? Your mother had quite the list. We lost count of the possibilities. Everyone knew someone who knew someone who fucked yo’ mama.’

Ease up, Joe.

Ren watched Duke Rawlins. He was smiling. His head lolled away again.

Why are you still smiling?

‘So, you can die with that mystery,’ said Joe. ‘Who’s. Yo’. Daddy.’

Ren looked at Joe. There was a chilling menace in his face.

Duke used all the strength he had to turn back toward them.

‘Did you get my gift?’ said Duke. He was talking to Joe. ‘The one I gave to The Widow Dettling?’

No, Gary will not die. He will not die, you fucking psychopath.

‘The FedEx slip?’ said Joe. ‘What was I supposed to do with that?’

‘Read it.’

‘I did read it.’

‘What does it say to you?’ said Duke.

‘Nothing,’ said Joe. ‘What’s it meant to say to me? You went through my garbage and stored up that information for years... for what?’

Duke laughed weakly. ‘No, sir. It’s the kind of shit that could give a man nightmares for the rest of his life.’

‘I’m so tired of his bullshit,’ said Joe. ‘It’s over. It’s over now.’

Duke Rawlins was weakening. His eyes were closing. Still, he was smiling.

‘You don’t get it,’ said Duke, staring up at Joe. ‘You still don’t get it.’

‘Get what?’ said Joe.

‘Grace...’ said Duke.

‘She’s gone away,’ said Joe. ‘Grace is safe.’ He looked at Ren, almost rolled his eyes.

‘Safe like Hayley Gray was?’ said Duke. Hayley Gray was the little girl that Donald Riggs killed. ‘Safe like Hayley Gray with a bomb strapped around her waist and a detonator?’

‘There’s no bomb strapped to my daughter — that, I know for sure,’ said Joe. ‘She is thousands of miles away and only I know where.’

Your confidence is so complete. You know Grace is safe. You know it. Why is the energy in the room unchanged? Why do I still think Duke Rawlins is holding all the cards?

‘I’m the bomb!’ said Duke. ‘You don’t get it! I’m the bomb!’ With the last of his strength, his head was now rocking from side to side, smiling wider, blood smeared across his teeth and gums.

This guy is absolutely unhinged.

‘I’m the bomb!’ said Duke. ‘And I am right there with Grace wherever she goes. I’m the bomb! I’m the bomb!’

Ren and Joe locked eyes, confused, disturbed.

‘You still don’t get it!’ said Duke. ‘I got Grace, Grace got me. Got me running through her veins!’ He stopped his crazy rocking, stopped dead. His eyes burned into Joe Lucchesi.

‘I’m the daddy,’ said Duke. ‘I’m the daddy! I fucked your wife! Lucky number seven years ago. I drugged her. I fucked her. I cleaned her up. I lay her down gently on the sofa where she spent most of her time anyway. I drugged her. I fucked her. And I gave her a baby. What are the fucking chances of that? I gave her Grace. I gave your wife Grace. Now, isn’t that something?’

Oh.

Dear.

God.