Time of Death

made his first move in that direction, but I was giving him a chance to rethink. But Erubiel Diaz acted like an animal. You were never going to forget the face of the man who raped you. And it would be easy for you to ID him when his face appeared on a Most Wanted list. If Diaz had done as he was told, your husband might still be alive, you and your sons would not have been harmed, I would not be in this position. No one would be any the wiser. Erubiel paid for that error with his life. Your error was to call in the FBI. You complicated everything for yourself, getting involved with Agent Ren Bryce.’

‘I needed to find out what happened to my family.’

‘The sequel to that message.’ Domenica’s face was impassive. She shrugged. ‘After Diaz’ visit, we expected your husband to change his ways. When he made his next move, it seemed he was defying us. How were we to know that Erubiel Diaz had failed to deliver the message? He didn’t tell us that he raped you, that he never even saw your husband.’

‘Where is my son, Michael?’

‘I don’t know.’

‘Yes, you do. Of course you do.’

‘I’m not in that…world.’

‘Of course you are!’

‘I meant that low down,’ said Domenica. ‘I could maybe get people to see if anybody knows anything.’

‘Why would that be good enough for me?’

‘Good enough for you? If you give me what I want, nothing more will happen to you – that is as good as it gets for you.’

‘Do you think there is anything more that can happen to me?’ said Catherine. ‘After what you’ve done already, what’s left?’

‘You want to be here for Michael, if he shows up. You’re that kind of mother.’

‘Every mother is that kind of mother.’

Domenica said nothing.

‘You can’t even promise me Michael,’ said Catherine. ‘Why would I give you anything of Gregory’s?’

‘But what if I do find Michael?’ said Domenica. ‘I am the only one in a position to locate your son. You certainly can’t. The FBI wouldn’t know the first place to look. So you will give me what I want. Because, if I do find Michael, what might I do then?’

Catherine’s heart pounded. But she had nothing to say. There were no words for a woman like Domenica.

The door beside Ren opened without a sound, without a crack of light. Ren could make out Gary Dettling’s face in the darkness. Then Colin. Then Cliff. Then Robbie. Then the rest of Safe Streets. They were all there. She held a finger up to them. Not a word. She sat back on the bench and pulled off the headphones she was wearing. She handed them to Gary. He nodded.

Ren smiled. Her heart was soaring. The world was beautiful. Everything was under control. She was as controlled and focused as she had ever been. She stood up and walked past everyone. They all nodded to her. Robbie squeezed her arm.

She smiled wider. I love you guys. I love my job. I love the whole fucking world right now.

Ren knew she was wired…and she wouldn’t have it any other way. She got to the door. God bless stress, coffee, starvation, Red Bull, the white light coursing through her brain, making everything clear…

I’m sorry, Helen. But this one’s for you.

Domenica stared at Catherine. ‘Here’s what I need to know.’ She reached inside her jacket and pulled out a gun.

Catherine’s legs went weak. She thought she was going to pass out. ‘Please, don’t,’ she managed to say.

‘I need to know,’ said Domenica, ‘exactly how your husband was co-operating with the Mexican authorities. I need to find out exactly when his betrayal began and how much they know.’

Catherine felt as if her heart was about to explode. She didn’t know anything about betrayal. She didn’t know that her husband had spoken with the Mexican authorities. She hadn’t got all the facts. She was in a room with this crazy woman and she hadn’t all the facts.

‘Shit,’ said Gary. The Safe Streets team looked at each other. No one had known this part. No one had any idea that Sarvas had made contact with the Mexican authorities. Catherine Sarvas would never have been sent in if they’d known Gregory Sarvas had committed the ultimate sin as far as Val Pando was concerned: betrayal. And, thanks to them, Catherine Sarvas had managed to convince Val Pando that she knew about everything her husband did.

‘Go, go, go,’ said Gary.

Ren burst through the door into the room where Catherine Sarvas and Domenica stood.

Domenica’s face went through a series of readjustments.

‘Drop your weapon,’ said Ren. ‘Drop it.’

Domenica glanced back and forth between the two of them.

‘Drop it,’ said Ren.

Domenica did as she asked.

‘Catherine,’ said Ren. ‘Please leave.’

‘I want to know where Michael is,’ she screamed at Domenica.

‘Let me take care of that,’ said Ren.

‘No she won’t,’ said Domenica. ‘She doesn’t give a shit.’

‘Catherine, go,’ said Ren. ‘Please.’

‘Ask her,’ said Domenica. She jerked her head at Ren: ‘Why don’t you tell Mrs Panzon your little history —’

‘Shut the fuck up.’ Ren turned to Catherine, her eyes pleading.

Catherine looked at her. Don’t screw this up. She had the courage to walk away from the only two people who could help her find her youngest son.

Ren waited until Catherine was gone before asking: ‘Tell me where Michael Sarvas is.’

‘I presume you heard me say that I don’t know,’ said Domenica.

‘Who killed Helen Wheeler?’ said Ren.

Domenica smiled. ‘I don’t know who Helen Wheeler is.’

‘Whether it was Javier Luis or James Laker or Erubiel Diaz, the answer, ultimately, is: you,’ said Ren.

Domenica shrugged.

‘Fuck you,’ said Ren. ‘You didn’t need to go near Helen.’

‘But I didn’t.’

‘You fucking bitch!’

‘You slept with James Laker and Javier Luis,’ said Domenica. ‘You let Luis escape to commit all the crimes you wanted to arrest him for. So you had to kill him. And you had to kill Douglas Hammond to stop your files being accessed. And then you killed Peter Everett—’

‘Who is Peter Everett, Domenica?’ said Ren.

Domenica smiled slowly. ‘Everyone knows who Peter Everett is.’

‘But not everyone knows what you saw him do, that you were the illegal Mexican nanny who gave Mia