Harry slipped on the dark shades as he walked into the precinct. He had been promoted over two weeks ago, but he had not been to work since that fateful day. So many people called out congratulations to him, and he nodded back. He wasn’t in the mood to talk to anyone.
Walking over to his desk, he sat down and began packing all his valuables into a carton. When he was done, he walked to the chief’s office. He knocked and was asked to enter.
“Pierce, how you doing boy? Kane told me you were sick. Feeling alright now?” he asked.
Harry flashed his teeth in a fake smile and nodded. He just wanted to get out of there.
“Congratulations on your promotion. You got rid of the supplier, Anna.”
Harry had told them at the station that her name was Anna, and that she was just a supplier in LA. They had believed him. Shaking off his thoughts, he pulled out his badge and dropped it on the desk, along with his gun.
Chief looked at it, “What’s this boy?” he asked confused, “You got the promotion, didn’t you?”
Harry turned to leave, “I quit.”
He was at the door when he asked, “Who fired the shots? The ones that killed her.”
He needed to know who it was so it could ease the guilt that had been eating him up.
“I don’t know, it wasn’t one of us.”
“And her body?”
“Her brother took it.”
“Did he tell you his name?”
“Yeah, called himself Dmitri, something like that.”
That was not her brother. Harry nodded and left the room. He went to the forensic lab, but Diana wasn’t there. Lucky him. He quickly sat at her desk and deleted all information regarding Anna’s case. What he did was considered a great crime, but he didn’t care. He also took her file and left the office.
Putting the file at the bottom of the carton, he left the precinct. Dropping the carton in the back seat, he was entering his car when Kane came running out.
“Hey Harry! Heard you were back.”
“I’m not back,” he said quietly.
“What?” Kane asked confused. Then he noticed the carton in the car, “You are leaving? Why? You solved the case, didn’t you?”
“Yeah I did. But at what expense, my heart?” he asked bitterly.
Kane looked confused and Harry just shook his head. He was in no mood to explain.
“I’m leaving man, but we’ll keep in touch.”
Harry got into his car and slammed the door close. He removed the sunglasses and looked at his face in the rear-view mirror. His eyes were rimmed red. It had just been two weeks since she died, but it felt like forever.
The drive home was swift and uneventful. He set the box on the kitchen counter and without turning, he knew there was someone else with him in the house. Harry sighed and turned around.
Lucas Cabrera stood in the doorway dressed in an awfully expensive looking black suit. He knew the face, the guy was on almost every business magazine. Billionaire playboy prince.
Heir to the Cabrera fortune.
The kitchen seemed too small for his aura. He looked sophisticated. His very presence screamed power. He was after all, one of the richest men in the world, and Jacks brother. They finally met face to face.
“You Cabrera’s sure know how to break into people houses,” he said fondly remembering all the times he found Jack in his house without invitation.
The guy removed his shades and walked over to sit on the stool Jack sat every time. It was on the tip of Harrys tongue to tell him to get up but he held back.
“Sure, seat where you like,” he mumbled.
It seemed it was a family trait. They did what they liked, where they liked. Lucas rested his elbows on the island and silently regarded Harry. Harry returned his gaze. Lucas’s eyes were red, like he’d been crying. Even then, his eyes had a glossy sheen to it.
“I see you quit your job, good for you.”
Harry didn’t reply as he observed him. There was no resemblance between him and Jack, and yet, in a way, he reminded him of her.
“So you are the one,” he stated. His bass voice resonated.
“I warned her you know. I told her to leave you alone, that you were bad news, that you weren’t good for her, but she didn’t listen. Never did.” He looked away from Harry, “Do you know she punched me because of you?” Lucas scoffed, “You obviously don’t know that. You know nothing.”
“Why are you here?” Harry asked finally. Was he there to rub it in his face, that she was dead?
“You want to know,” Lucas said to himself quietly. “I am actually here to kill you, for killing my sister.”
“I did not kill her. I would never do that, I loved her,” Harry said, and Lucas scoffed.
“And yet she is dead. You loved her and yet you threatened to turn her in. You couldn’t save her.”
Lucas pulled out a pistol from his breast pocket and gently dropped it on the counter. Harry wasn’t scared, whatever was going to happen, let it. He wasn’t going to fight Jacks brother.
“Jack and I... we were different. She was adopted but my father loved her. At first, I hated her for taking my father away from me. But then I saw her the way he saw her, and then I loved her too. I loved her so fucking much. She was the only family I had left, and now you have taken her from me too. I never even got to say goodbye,” he sounded hurt when he said that.
Lucas closed his eyes for a moment and then glanced at Harry. Everything he had planned to say and do was there in his head, but when the time came, he couldn’t. Jack wouldn’t like it. He laughed inwardly, he was still thinking of what she would have liked.
“You say you loved her,” Lucas said softly.
“I love her.”
“Then there is no use in killing you. You should suffer alive knowing you are the reason she’s dead, and I hate you for taking her away.”
Lucas gave him a hard glare and slid the gun across the counter to him.
“In case you decide to use the last bullet for yourself.”
He got up and adjusted his jacket, “Her funeral is tomorrow, and you are not invited.” He walked to the door, “Good day Mr Pierce, I hope I never see you again.”
And he left.
Harry stood still for several minutes. The unexpected visit from Lucas had rattled him. He slumped into the stool and held his head in his hands.
He missed her. He slowly walked into his room and lay on the bed still fully dressed. This bed held so many memories for them. He glanced to the side and saw the white tacky hair band she used for her hair sitting on the dresser. Opening the drawer, he took out his white shirt she always wore when visiting and held it to his nose. It still had her scent on it, and he inhaled deeply. So many times she came over, and each time she picked that particular shirt. Like she was drawn to it. He once commented that she loved the shirt more than him, but she’d laughed it off.
And if he listened closely, he could still hear the sound of her laughter echoing.
A tear slipped down his cheek and he brushed it off. Looking around, he decided he couldn’t stay in LA any longer. It held too many memories. He had to move. He didn’t know where he would go to, but he was leaving. There was nothing in Los Angeles for him. The city of angels, that’s what they called it. He had met his angel, but he had let her die.
The end.
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Hi.... I really don't know what to say. But I'm glad I'm done with this book (not really).
You guys are probably wondering if she really is... I don't know, tell me what you think, your theory.
Wanted to say a big thank you to everyone who has voted and commented and encouraged me.
Thanks to Luhvblack for the cover and corrections.
Thanks to SahanaRimu for her hilarious comments and suggestions.
Thanks to Gratia_7, Aliquis67 and ribbassj for their votes and everyone else.
Muah, hugs and smooches.
PS, this is not the last of me, lol.