“We’ll see how brave you are now,” the man said.
Riley took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and summoned every ounce of her strength. She lifted her legs and kicked the man in front directly in the chest, pushing him onto his back. The one holding her arms released her out of shock, and Riley seized the opportunity to kick him in the groin.
They were both struggling to get up, and Riley was more than satisfied with leaving them there, but they had seen her face and, if her reaction wasn’t enough to give her away, it was sufficient for someone to suspect there was something off about her. As she prepared to silence them permanently, she heard a car door close and turned to see Noah Kirkland walking directly toward her.
“You fucking bitch,” Noah yelled.
Riley turned to face him, removing her gun from its holster, firing once at Noah’s knee. Then she shot again, this time at his other leg as he fell to the pavement, screaming and crying in agony. Stepping closer, she leveled the gun at his forehead and fired once more.
She heard a whine from the men on the ground behind her and remembered the fight wasn’t over yet. She fired two more shots before gazing at the three bodies on the ground around her.
These men had been Riley’s first kills in LinHill without her mask. She realized her Midnight Vigilante attire hadn’t just been a disguise to protect her identity from possible witnesses, it had also created a barrier between herself and her actions. Killing with her face bare reminded her of the life she’d left behind, and, for a moment, she felt like she’d traveled through time, back to the city and Santino.
She was the old Riley once again.
The need for justice had always evoked a sense of duty in Riley. This time, it was the duty to defend her hometown and avenge her sister’s murder. Last time, though, she had sought to settle a score for a much greater loss.
She’d awakened to a distinctive smell, one that vaguely reminded her of Santino’s cologne, but stronger, suffocating instead of intoxicating.
Riley had tried to open her eyes slowly, but her body hadn’t responded. A wave of pain erupted across her abdomen, settling deep within her pelvis. When she forced her eyes open, she realized she was alone in a hospital room.
When a nurse placed a hand on her head, brushing her messy hair away from her face, she’d realized she was screaming.
“Ma’am, you need to calm down,” the nurse soothed her.
“Santino!” she’d insisted. “I need to see him! Where is he?”
Before the nurse could answer, two men entered, one wearing a white coat, the other, who Riley was familiar with, a badge.
The look on both men’s faces spoke volumes. There was sympathy, sorrow, and even sadness—at least from the doctor. She found none in the face of Detective Marcus Jung.
“Ms. Marcone, I’m Doctor Martinez,” the man in white began. “I know you are in a tremendous amount of pain, but you need to know that your husband—”
“Your husband is dead,” Detective Jung interrupted. Riley wasn’t surprised by the coldness of his statement, they weren’t friends, merely acquaintances. He had been chasing Santino for months and Riley had become a target as well.
Riley’s tears fell freely down her cheeks. The nurse beside her held her as she began to sob and the doctor explained.
“I’m sorry. We did everything we could, but his injuries were severe. He died just after midnight.” The doctor exchanged a look with the nurse, whose hand tightened around Riley’s.
With sobering realization, Riley knew Santino hadn’t been the only loved one she’d lost.
“Please,” Riley begged, “tell me, my baby . . .”
The doctor shook his head. “I’m sorry. I truly am.”
Riley unleashed a cry that burned her throat, as if the sound could cast her pain from her heart and soul. The doctor didn’t try to stop her; the nurse gently stroked her hair, offering the only comfort she could.
“We’re going to give you a minute,” the doctor said. “I know this is a lot to process.”
The nurse released her hand and moved to follow the doctor out of the room, but Marcus remained close to Riley’s bed.
“I need to ask you a couple of questions,” Marcus said.
Riley watched as the doctor stopped and turned to scowl at the officer.
“I don’t think this is the right moment, Detective Jung. Ms. Marcone has been through a lot in a very short time. Can’t you come back later?”
Clearing his throat, Marcus insisted he’d stay. “With all due respect, Santino Marcone has been under investigation for almost a year. I have reason to believe his death might be related to another ongoing investigation, and time is of the essence, regardless of anyone’s grief. I need to get your statement.”
“You want my statement?” Riley asked through gritted teeth. “Santino Marcone may have been in some shady business, but he was the love of my life. He would have been an amazing father. One of his men turned on him, and that bastard is still out there. It’s your job to catch him.” She pointed to the door, causing pain to radiate through her shoulder. “Now, get the fuck out of my room.”
When Detective Jung turned his back to Riley, she knew he was also turning his back on her grief. Men like Detective Jung only saw the world in good guys and bad guys, and he would only ever see Santino as a criminal. She knew she would have to take matters into her own hands if the investigation of Santino’s death would ever be completed, and that’s exactly what she’d done.
Now, in LinHill, it was only too easy to become that woman once again.
Chapter Thirty-One
Marcus was not exactly a morning person. He was still sipping his first cup of coffee and fighting heavy eyelids when he pulled up to yet another crime scene.
Two bodies remained outside the
