Beautifully Scarred

Chapter 70

"Not exactly," Lex sounds less than assumed. "Several days ago, a young girl from our town was found in a ditch. Rapped, beat up pretty bad. They weren't too sure she would make it for a while."

"How unfortunate."

"Yeah. She's much better now. The cops scanned the area, not finding much. But when my guys took a look, we found these."

Lex must have showed the matched.

"So," Tommy says. "Someone who has been to my bar rapped that girl? It could be anyone."

"Could. But then the girl remembered seeing a cop and... Then it just so happened that that cop had been seen here. More than once."

"I have lot's of people come in and out of here. I'd have no way of knowing who it was," Tommy laughs.

"Maybe not but I do know you had something to do with it."

"Excuse me?" Tommy snapped. "How would you know that?"

"Besides having the text messages from Officer Jason's phone, I got confessions from Jason himself."

Is that true? Seth glances at me, wondering the same thing. I shrug, I have no clue if any of that is true.

"Jason..." Tommy sounds unsure. "You have him?"

"Got him this morning. His confession this afternoon."

"How did you get this confession?"

"We have our ways," came from Chris.

"Interesting," was all that Tommy said in return.

"He explained how you wanted revenge for your brother. Since the orders came from Mayor Sutton, you decided to take it out on his kid."

Tommy laughs. "It would have been your wife had things gone to plan but you do seem to keep an annoyingly close eye on your family."

"Be glad it wasn't. Or I would have cut out each of your balls and fed them to you, before I skinned you alive myself."

"My goodness, you're mighty protective of them aren't you. Your little family."

"You have know idea. I'm pretty protective of my town too. And any young girl who falls victim to scum like you."

Tommy laughs again. "And just what do you think you're gonna do about it? Shoot me? Skin me alive?"

"Maybe both. Skin then shoot," Chris snaps.

"Well," Tommy teases. "I suppose you got me. If Jason confessed, I guess the fun is over. Only... I wonder if you'll do much skinning, since we have your son."

My brows knit together. At that exact moment. I feel something poke the side of my head.

"Did you really think I wouldn't know who is around my property?"

I hear nothing as I lower my rifle and stand. My hands up and my movements easy. Another man stands behind Seth. Seth does as I do. There is a third man. But apparently they assumed it was just Seth and I. I hear a shot. My heart jumps. I look for Seth. He is still alive. We're still alive. And then the third man falls. While I have the chance, I duck under the gun at my head. Knocking the man back, right into Pauly's knife. Toe, as big as he is, has gotten close enough to plant a knife of his own into the man who held Seth at gun point.
Through my ear piece I hear the rustling sounds of fighting. And the words...

"Stanotte muori!"

When I grab my rifle, I look down at the back door of the bar. Seth shoots first. Killing a man as he ran for a car. Then too many people are running around. If we shoot we might end up killing innocent people. So, I run. My long legs finally being a benefit to me. Seth follows. Pauly and Toe not far behind. A crying woman crashes into me. There are more people running from the bar than anything. Once inside, I find the New Yorkers giving it all they have. Their skills are incredible. One is out numbered and I do him a favor by eliminating two. The man sends me a wink of thanks and then is back at it again.
Suddenly, I have a sharp pain over the back of my head before I am tackled to the ground. I land hard on the floor with a heavy man on top of me. His fist connects with my cheek hard. He's big and strong. I'm lucky that he is knocked off balance by the people rushing by and I take the opportunity to flip him back off of me the rest of the way. I remove the knife from my boot.
The man lunges at me and lands on my blade. Despite already dying, the man is still able to hit me again. I have a cut now, over my brow. The blood runs down the side of my face as I remove the knife from his chest.
I have to find Lex and Chris. My legs feel wobbly as I find my footing. On my way deeper in, I shoot two more men. Then another fights me for my rifle. Pauly is there in the blink of the eye, slicing the man throat, and then he is gone again. Pauly's speed is almost supernatural. Something from the movies.
For a split second, I catch a glimpse of Seth and Toe. So far so good.
Though my heart drops when I finally find Tommy's room. Chris is bending over Lex. Holding pressure to his bleeding chest. Tommy Mitchell's body is unmoving. Sitting behind his desk. A gun still held in his dead hand. Lex's knife planted deep between his eyes.
I bend down next to Chris.

"Tommy pulled the gun. Lex got him but Tommy shot first."

I blink my eyes. Trying to take in what happened. Lex is struggling to breathe. His blood covers the floor and Chris. Lex's hand shakes and I take to hold on. As if holding on to his life myself.

"We have to get him out of here. Go get the car," Chris sounds so strange. Frightened? I've never heard him sound so worried. "Go! Now!"

Again my long legs prove to be useful as I push my way through the crowds. The keys are still in the car and I sling gravel as I fly around the back of the bar. Pauly and Chris try to lift him but they need more help. I bend down, as does Seth, we each take a shoulder. Toe holds open the back door of the SUV and ever so gently we get Lex inside.

"Toe, drive. Get us out of here before the cops come. Pauly call Dr. Logan."

"We need to get him to a hospital!" I snap.

"And tell them what? We were practicing shooting and he stepped in the line of fire?" Chris yells back. "Dr. Logan has been caring for all of us for years. This isn't the first time Lex has been shot and he will know what to do. Trust me."

I open my mouth to argue back but then Lex's hand reaches for mine again.

"Call Mia," Lex strangles out. "If I don't die on my own, she'll kill me herself for not calling."

On the second ring she answers.

"Mia, listen," I try to sound normal. "Lex is shot."

"Not again," she sounds worried and annoyed.

(Sorry guys. I don't know what happened. I tried to load it and it wouldn't. Hopefully this time it works. Thanks for hanging in there with me.)