Boss: Romantic Thriller Page 26

  “Because Havarti delivered my message, Easter EGG,” Tarek said.

  “Havarti never called me,” Alek shook his head.

  “Don’t pretend that nothing happens without your knowledge. I know the truth.”

  “What truth is that?” Alek asked.

  “You are trying to unload the company and get ahead of the feds before they connect us to Kovalevsky.”

  “We are forever connected to Kovalevsky!” his father shouted and slammed his fist down on his thigh. “Thanks to you and that barbarian of a son of his. We cannot sever ties. The best we can do is cover our asses. Not even the federal government and Kovalevsky can stop that. I’ve been working on a way to get us out of this.”

  “From your chair?” he asked with a smirk.

  “You think this chair makes me weak? You and Dale have already buried me, warring over my legacy. And the moment I was put in it you tried to take my company from me. Why Because of that little Mexican girl that killed your child?”

  “Clarissa was just one of your many victims. And you killed my child.”

  "And you have never trusted me since," Alek Marshall said.

  “Did you or did you not work a deal with the feds?”

  Alek Marshall had been his hero since he was two years old. He saved him from a cruel life in an orphanage. He taught him everything from horseback riding, to how to skin a boar. Everything Tarek had done, good, bad, evil and in between, he had done to please his father. Neither Dale nor Henry ever showed that kind of loyalty.

  “What I’m doing is to protect all of my sons. I’ve had Havarti watching you and Dale to keep you from going too far which is why I tried to warn you to be cautious with the South American drilling. Yes. In April indictments will come down. Before that happens I will have cleaned the skeletons from our closets. And Kovalevsky will be left for the wolves.”

  “Are you crazy?” Tarek asked. “Has that stroke fried your brain?”

  Alek glared at him.

  “You turn on Kovalevsky and you bring the entire Russian Mafia down on us.”

  “I have it under control,” he said. “I always have. The doctors said I’ll be out of this chair soon. I can handle him. I have before.”

  “You’re lying,” Tarek said. “Cash came to that ranch to kill me and her. If you didn’t send him only one other person would.”

  “You think Dale did it?”

  “Doesn’t matter what I think. It’s what I can prove right Pops? Dale doesn't do anything but try to live up to your expectations. You two want to hand me over to Kovalevsky.”

  Alek shook his head. “You’re paranoid son. You’ll stay in this hospital and you’ll keep your fucking mouth shut while I clean up this mess. And then when it’s over both you and Dale will end this war between you. You’ll do as I say. What I say and When I say. Are we clear?”

  “Where is she? Did they arrest her?” He shifted the conversation, not ready to agree to anything.

  “I had Havarti send in someone from the firm. She’s at home. Dale put Reese on her, to make sure she stays put. She’s already told the police her version of things. Don’t worry. I’ll handle that too.”

  Tarek tried to sit up but his chest hurt. “I need to see her. Dale will stay the fuck away from her...”

  “Did you not hear me? We have her, son,” Alek said. “No one’s getting next to her. Including you.” Alek pushed his chair back from the bed. “We need a cooling off period. You need to remember that family comes first. The press is swarming. It’ll be national news before you get out of that bed and take a piss. From what I know she and this Daniel fella hadn’t done much damage yet. So the situation is contained right?” Alek cut him a sideways glance while standing before the hospital room window.

  “I took the binder from them. It had the contracts and payments to Prime Minster Lopez. The E.P.U. had already received emails and other documents for months. Hey hacked our servers, our phones. Not sure what that will mean. She was more focused on proving that the drilling was illegal than caring about the bribes.”

  Alek gaze went back to the window. “So this Daniel person is dead?”

  “That’s what the police told me. Cash went in the house with Daniel to kill me. They didn’t find me so Cash killed Daniel and came after us in the barn,” Tarek said.

  “Think she will blame you? Losing her friend happened because she was taken by force by you,” Alek returned his gaze to him.

  “I thought you didn’t try to kill us?”

  “Again with the paranoia,” Alex said. “I’m only asking because I’ll make sure that the case is closed, and your little hostage understands the wisdom in cooperating with us. That is if she can be bought. If not. I’ll throw her to the wolves. Let the cops have her instead of you.”

  “She can be trusted. She and I have an understanding,” Tarek said.

  “I trust you.” Alek said. “You get some rest. I’m gonna talk to your doctors. Make sure you get the best care. And when you are better, I’ll tell you all about my plans.”

  Tarek watched his father roll to the door. His brother opened it and held it open until he rolled out. Dale winked at Tarek before he too was gone. When the door closed Tarek’s eyes shut. Kassidy wasn’t safe. Neither was he. He had to find out who turned Cash, and he needed to find out before his father silenced them both.

  47.

  “Can we talk now?” Reese asked.

  The roads weren’t cleared of stalled cars; however, salt trucks had effectively melted the ice. She stared out the window wanting the long drive to come to an end.

  “So your name is Kassidy?”

  She didn't answer.

  “Is it true? Were you working for the E.P.U. the entire time? Stealing for them? Is that how all this started?”

  “Who told you that your boyfriend Dale?” Kassidy countered.

  “This is fucking serious! I hope you know that you aren't the victim here. That dead man is because of you. All of this is because of you,” Reese said.

  “I know and I'll have to live with that,” Kassidy wiped her tears. She saw two men die and nothing she could do or say would ever erase the horror or shock.

  “I'm sorry. I just, don't understand how things got his far out of hand. I'm sorry,” Reese said.

  They drove the rest of the way in silence when Reese turned up the radio, and Kassidy was able to slip into her pain in silence while listening to rhythm and blues. The confession she gave the cops left out many details of her time trapped on that ranch. Especially the most intimate of moments shared with Tarek. She couldn’t explain her actions to herself. At that very moment she felt conflict, guilt, and a deep nagging sense of worry over his well-being. Did he get the medical attention he needed? Would he be arrested and charged with Daniel and Cash’s murder? Will she? She knew Reese had many questions to feed back the answers to the Marshalls. She couldn’t trust her.

  They arrived at her townhome. A dark SUV pulled up in her driveway behind Reese’s car. Kassidy turned around and looked back at the truck. Alarmed, she gripped the side arm rest of the door.

  “Who the hell are they?”

  “Security firm that works for the Marshalls. They want to protect you and Tarek until the company sorts this thing out.”

  “And you don’t find it odd that after everything I’ve done, the Marshalls want to protect me?”

  “Well, let’s see, I don’t know what you have done because you won’t tell me.”

  “I can’t trust these people.”

  “Why? Why!” Reese shouted at her.

  “Someone tried to kill me.”

  “If it weren’t for the Marshalls you’d be in jail now. Show at least a little gratitude.” Reese got out of the car. She walked around the front of her vehicle and came over to Kassidy’s side of the car. She opened the door but Kassidy didn’t move. Reese extended a hand. Kassidy wiped away her tears and let her help. She had to walk on her toes because her feet hurt. When she struggled on the ice slick pa
vement, Reese helped her. They got to the front door and Kassidy dug in her purse for the key. Finding it she opened it and let them both inside.

  Kassidy went to her kitchen and opened her Crockpot. She pulled out the gun one of her last boyfriends had gifted her for her eighteenth birthday. She’d never fired it not once. And it wasn’t registered. She didn’t like guns unlike nearly every woman, man, and child in Texas who all owned a firearm, and knew how to operate them. She limped out of the kitchen with it in her hand. Reese looked at the gun and then her.

  “I’m going to take a shower,” Kassidy told her. “I’ll need you to help me with my feet, and then we’ll talk. I’ll tell you what you need to know.”

  “Kassidy. I’m on your side.”

  “Yeah right,” she mumbled. Kassidy dragged her weary body up the stairs into her bedroom, and closed the door. She shed Tarek’s clothes. She walked into her bathroom naked. She sat on the closed toilet lid and removed one sock. Tears quickly sprung to her eyes when the bloody tissue came off with the sock. She then did the same to the other. She turned on the shower and stepped in. At first, the water sprayed over her bone weary body like a thousand ice crystals. She withstood the shock of the cool rivulets. Blood and dirt rinsed down the drain. And then the water warmed and Kassidy closed her eyes. Like a video on rewind, every gentle, pleasant, scary, horrific memory flashed underneath her closed lids. The one that kept looping on replay was the death of Daniel. His head exploded. Not before she saw the wild panic in his eyes. Who in the Marshall family had turned her friend against her? When had they done it? And what could they possibly have on Daniel to make him homicidal? She eased down the wall of the shower and sat on the tile floor. She drew her knees up to her chest and cried against them as the water cascaded all over her. Daniel was dead. If she hadn’t taken on the Marshalls none of this would have happened and for what? To avenge a woman named Clarissa that she only knew as a child? To atone for being the only survivor the night of the horrible accident that wiped out her family? If she had just did as Daniel asked and not got on that plane with Tarek in Chicago none of this would have happened.

  Chapter 20

  Kassidy walked out of the bedroom with her first aid kit. Reese lowered her cell phone. It looked like she was in the middle of texting when Kassidy returned.

  “Girl what the hell is going on? I was going to come in there and check to see if you drowned or something. Two hours?” Reese asked.

  “I needed some time to get myself together. Thanks for waiting.”

  She walked but her movements were slow and awkward. Her body was on autopilot despite her discomfort. She sat on the sofa to Reese’s left and opened the first-aid kit, removing the ace bandages, gauze, and antiseptic ointment. She turned her foot up and Reese gaped at the cuts.

  “Can you help me?” she asked.

  “Yeah, yes, of course. My God, how are you able to stand? Wait, how the hell did this happen to the bottom of your feet? Where are your shoes?”

  “Glass”, Kassidy said. “I walked on glass.”

  “I don’t remember where my shoes are. Some place at the ranch.”

  “Okay, I’ve waited long enough. Who are you really and what the hell happened between you and Tarek Marshall?” Reese asked. “And I mean from the beginning?”

  “You know the beginning. My name is Kassandra Turner, and I'm from Crystal Beach. I was hired by Daniel Messina at the E.P.U. to steal information. The Marshalls are right. From the day Tarek brought me into the company I’ve been spying for the E.P.U. And Tarek Marshall found out the truth. He caught me and Daniel during an exchange and went crazy. He hit Daniel. In the process of them fighting and my trying to break them up, he knocked me out.”

  “He attacked you, physically?” Reese paused. “Tarek Marshall attacked you?”

  “No and yes. The point is his actions knocked me out cold.” Kassidy sighed. “The next thing I know he was dragging me off with him to his ranch. He said he was going to turn me into the police but he wanted a confession first. Wanted to know everything I stole, what the press had, what the E.P.U. had. Everything.”

  “Tarek kidnapped you?” Reese repeated. “He killed Daniel Messina?”

  “No. No.”

  Kassidy glanced to the television and there was a breaking news event. She then saw the Marshall’s ranch on the television set. She picked up the remote and turned up the volume.

  I’m standing in front of the Marshall farm. Owned by oil tycoon Alek Marshall, founder of Marshall Global Solutions. This has been a place of historical significance and prominence for over a century in the Haslet community. That was until the bloody discovery made by the police here yesterday. Two men brutally murdered, and the son of Alek Marshall is at the center of it all...

  The screen flipped to an image of Daniel Messina and Cash Dagwood in a side-by-side view. The men both wore broad smiles in what looked to be separate social events. Kassidy was surprised at how harmless Cash Dagwood appeared on screen. From her memory, he was a gun-toting monster straight out of the Wild West, with hands large enough to snap her neck. She could still see the snarl on his face from under the black brim of his hat, as he tried to choke the life out of her.

  Daniel Messina is a YouTube celebrity and the founder of the very controversial activist group E.P.U., based out of Fort Worth. An advocate for endangered sea animals, and the ecosystem in our oceans, he claimed the Marshalls have been destroying both with their offshore drilling. And also a strong opponent against Marshall Global Solutions’ expansion project into South America. And Cash Dagwood is a rancher, here in this very county. He often works part time as a private investigator.

  “Does anyone know how these men were murdered, Lainey?” The news reporter asked from her news desk.

  No. The police are not commenting only saying that the investigation is ongoing. If you look behind me there, they have several forensic teams working the farm. Earlier we saw the FBI arrive...

  The FBI! The newswoman asked in surprise.

  Yes. Not sure how they fit into all of this. We did receive a statement from the Marshalls’ publicists: It says we are deeply saddened and concerned about the death of Daniel Messina, and close family friend Cash Dagwood. We are cooperating fully with this investigation, and extend our regrets and prayers to their families.

  “Interesting, any news on who else was at the ranch at the time of the murder?” the news reporter asked.

  Sources close to the investigation tell us a woman was found here with Tarek Marshall, beaten and in a desperate state. I’m sure more will be made clear as this story develops. I’m told that the chief will hold a press conference this afternoon. This is Lainey Diamond reporting for Channel 10 News.

  “Thank you, Lainey,” the news reporter said.

  Kassidy switched the television set off. That wasn’t the news. Just some poor attempt to understand the unexplainable. When she looked over to her former boss, she saw less compassion in her eyes, and understood. She was no victim like the reporter said. No one was innocent.

  “Is any of it true?” Reese’s gaze bore into her.

  “Those men are dead,” she answered. “That part is true.”

  “You know what I’m asking you!” Reese said.

  “No. I wasn’t beaten, and he didn’t kill Daniel. He saved my life by killing that man Cash Dagwood who was sent to that ranch by Alek Marshall to kill me. Cash must have killed Daniel.”

  “That’s crazy! Mr. Marshall wouldn’t do that.”

  “How the hell would you know?” Kassidy could feel the tension return in her body. Anxiety over being questioned or was it just anger? She wasn’t sure but one thing she was certain of was that she was tired of people not believing her words.

  “You’ve been gone for close to seventy-two hours. I was calling you, looking for you. And as soon as this blew up and you two were arrested, the Marshalls did everything to save you both.”

  “So?”

  “So! Why would they bother if t
hey wanted you dead or arrested?”

  “For the same reason you keep drilling me for details,” Kassidy said. “Because all of you want to know what I took and who I gave it to! Tarek’s being set up by his family. They are after him too. And I don’t even know if he’s alive or dead!” her voice broke with emotion.

  “Tarek? You’re trying to protect Tarek? He started this mess,” Reese reminded her.

  “He saved my life!”

  “After he put it at risk,” Reese declared.

  “He protected me. You have no idea what I’ve been through.” Kassidy shook her head.

  “I know I don’t. That’s why I’m asking you. What is it that you have on Alek or Dale Marshall?”

  “Isn't that the golden question?”

  “This is serious! And it can get a lot worse for you. What did Tarek Marshall do to you to deserve any loyalty?”

  “Nothing”, Kassidy answered. “He did absolutely nothing. He talked, he threatened, and he tried to intimidate me. But he only did those things because I... I provoked this...”

  “Oh brother...” Reese groaned.

  “I stole from him. He never wanted to hurt me. He cares... cared for me.”

  “Tarek Marshall, The thug in a suit. Remember him? Now he’s a hero?”

  “You weren’t there!”

  “You keep saying that, as if any of this would make sense if I had been there. He’s a psychopath. And you were probably too traumatized to realize it when he killed those men!”

  Kassidy shook her head.

  “Okay stop!” Reese said. “Stealing and kidnapping are two different things. Thank God you told those police the truth. They’ll arrest Tarek and I’ll get you out of this mess. Just tell me, what else do you have?”

  “You’re missing the most important part to this story, Reese. Yes, I stole some stupid information about bribes and regulatory violations. But the Marshalls did far worse. They hired Cash Dagwood to come out to that ranch and kill us both, because they have ties to organized crime.”