On the ride, I learned that Mario was a huge member of the Family. A guy a little older than us who was undercover within the Family and worked with the police. He normally got the members out of petty crimes and gave them tips on other gang activity for a bit of extra cash. They talked about him as if he was a genuine and nice guy, but the saddest thing about his death was that it had to be covered up. It couldn't go into the media that a cop was brutally murdered in his own home. It'd definitely be pinned towards a gang and that gang could easily be the De Palma Family if the assailant played their cards right.
Mario had a lot of family but his death would have to be played off as if he just ran away. Money would be wired into his family's accounts and a runaway note could be forged electronically and sent to his close family members. A letter of resignation had to be forged and money had to be wired to the head of the police department too if they started asking questions. It was a big ass mess that could easily blow up with the wrong move.
The murder took place in Mario's apartment. Before Mario was killed, the assailant had recorded a video of him begging for his life and once he was finished with him, he sent the recording to Andy. In the video, he was already f-cked up and the assailant had chopped off two of his fingers. The video was graphic and it was hard listening to someone beg for their life especially while someone else was just laughing in their face, knowing that they were about to kill them no matter what. I couldn't imagine even seeing someone I was acquainted with in that position, so to know him and Andy were at least friends made me sick to my stomach. I couldn't imagine how she felt.
"Do you think it's appropriate or should we probably change clothes," Leo said after dead silence in the car. Could this girl shut up for one minute? Everyone was upset, sad and frustrated and here she was with the subtle jokes. I smacked my lips and she looked at me as if her question wasn't random. "I know I'm not the only one thinking it. We're going to see one of our good friends dead while dressed up as the Mystery Gang and Woody and Andy. Don't you think it's kind of insensitive? You're going to have blood all on your cowboy boots."
"It's not insensitive if you don't make it. We're arriving as fast as we can. I'm sure Mario would understand. He had a good sense of humor anyways," Rafael replied rationally. Thank God, he said something because if he didn't Andy would've and I doubt what she would say would be as rational. Her and Leo would've probably started some stupid ass argument.
"Man, we need to catch this guy or girl, whoever is doing this. Mario saved all of our asses from being in prison at least once," Lin said as she stared out the window. "He didn't deserve what ever happened to him."
When we got to the apartment, the door was unlocked. Everyone had their guns drawn, even myself. There was no telling what was going on within that apartment. Most likely, it was going to be quiet and vacant but it was always good to be on your toes. Andy took the lead as she slowly walked in. As soon as she stepped in, she lowered her gun as she stood there in took in the scene. Once we all got in, we couldn't help but do the same. What kind sick bastard was behind this? My lunch wanted to come back up but I held it down. I couldn't say the same for Rafael and Leo. While Leo puked right there in front of the door, Rafael ran to the nearest bathroom.
Mario was in f-cking pieces. The assailant had cut off each finger, each toe, his tongue, his penis and the rest of his body parts were also cut off, neatly. Someone with experience had to make such precise cuts. His body was all rearranged as if they were playing a f-cked up jigsaw puzzle. The killer had took the notion to put Mario's penis into his own mouth and it looked like they had to basically pull his mouth apart and break his jaw to put the penis in there. He probably died with his mouth closed and the assailant forced entry.
Blood was splattered all over the apartment and though I wanted to stop looking at the chopped-up body pieces, I couldn't. The doctor in me found it interesting in a very f-cking weird way, but it also made me feel sick. Andy grabbed a paper towel and took out the penis from Mario's mouth. "I'm so f-cking sorry, Mario. You deserved better. I'm going to make this sick bastard suffer. Hopefully, you died before he tortured you too much." Andy put the dismembered penis down and walked over to an end table where a piece of paper laid. She picked it up slowly and began looking down at it. I assumed she was reading it but not aloud.
As she kept reading the letter, she became visually more and more upset. When she was done, she slammed the paper back on the table and screamed, "Sh-t." Within seconds, she turned and punched a hole through the nearest wall. It happened so quick and unexpectedly that I flinched and so did everyone else. What the hell was in that note? She began pacing back and forth and repeatedly saying, "Sh-t." Leo was about to walk over to grab the note and read it for herself, but Andy grabbed it again and started rereading it. "No. No. No way."
"What does it say," Leo asked as she tried to peep over Andy's shoulder.
Andy peered up from the paper to me and her stare made me nervous. Why was she looking at me like that? As if I was her enemy? "Have you been playing me," she suddenly yelled at me. I was so taken off guard by the question that I opened my mouth but nothing came out. What the f-ck did that note say for her to be questioning me? "Delaney, are you f-cking playing me!?"
"What the hell are you talking about? Playing you how?"
"Don't play stupid. I swear to god if you f-cking tricked me," Andy began pacing again but this time it only lasted about five seconds. "Do you know who's doing this!? Are you in on this!? You and your f-cking family? Did you know them this whole time and lie about being adopted? I need you to tell me the truth because if I find out you had something in on this, I'm going to f-cking-"
"Do I look like a f-cking liar?! What the f-ck does the note say?" I tried to snatch the note from Andy but she put it behind her back. "No matter what the sh-t says. It's a lie because I had no f-cking say in this. I don't know what this is. Tell me what's in the f-cking note or let me read it."
Andy clenched her jaw and shoved the note into my hands. I grabbed it and decided to read it aloud so everyone else could stop staring on with suspense and confusion. "I wanted to play a game with you, Andy but you're so boring. You're not a really good investigator. The past few months you have barely done anything to find me. So, I'm going to just let you know. Yes, I'll just tell you. No more guessing. No more games. All you have to do is come get me. Take a second. Think. Who do you think I am? Don't worry, I'll answer in a few seconds. Got your answer? Great. How's Camila? She deserves way better than you. You're a f-cking punk who likes to act tough. A p-ssy who thinks they fight rough. You're not sh-t and you're not fit to run Santa Monica. Hell, your gang isn't worth sh-t. I don't give a damn how many people are in it. The weak fall, always, no matter what total. But anyways, if you haven't guessed yet, it's me. Diego Fierro. Yes, Delaney's father. Come get me."
My mouth got drier the more I read the note. My father. No way was my father the assailant. Someone was obviously framing him. He was literally at the party tonight! He was talking to Andy when all of this happened. "My father didn't do this," I said as I shook my head. "I haven't lied about anything. I just met my father and mother but I know they would never do this. My father respects you. It's obvious that someone is framing him Andy. Please, don't tell me you're stupid enough to believe this."
"Who would want to frame your father? He doesn't have enough credit on the streets for people to even mention his name. It says it right there. I looked into his eyes tonight, shook his hands, had a decent conversation with him and your mother, only to find out that he wants me dead. And I want to trust you but how do I know you're not on his side?"
Andy had to be f-cking crazy. She was jumping to conclusions over a note that anyone could've wrote. "You know I would never do that to you! I killed a man for you. You saw the tears and how that affected me. That wasn't fake. That was real. My feelings for you have never been f-cking fake and I wouldn't lie about something like this. If I wanted you dead and if I was plotting against you with my father, I would be with him right now. I wouldn't be with you staring at your chopped up dead friend. Whoever did this wants us to turn against each other. And you're letting them do it! You're not thinking straight. I understand you're upset-"
"This doesn't make sense. The fact that you're backing up a man you only knew for a couple months. It's f-cking fishy. It's funny how right when we started dating, your brother suddenly just pops up in town. How f-cking crazy is that. Maybe he popped up because you let him know that you were able to get close to me and infiltrate-"
"Do you f-cking hear yourself!? You really believe this!? I know for sure Camilo had nothing to do with this. He has a f-cking daughter and a wife and-"
"See, you're taking up for him too! Next, you're going to say Mario sat there and cut his own self up to f-cking pieces and put his d-ck in his mouth. It's f-cking weird that you're swearing up and down that this note is fake when it's the only thing that makes sense. Your father is behind this and it sounds like you're in on it with him. I f-cking trusted you."
I didn't know what to say at this point. Andy was literally so f-cking stupid. My father had been nothing but nice and respectful and now all of a sudden, he's a rival gang leader that wants her and her crew dead and I'm a part of it. I'm the insider that gives him all the information. What kind of bullsh-t is that? "You're really dumb."
"I know. I actually believed that you loved me. But f-ck it, go run and tell your father that the war is on. I'm going to f-ck kill him, his f-cking wife, Camilo, his wife and I may spare the f-cking child but I'm not sparing you." Andy's face was set in stone and I couldn't believe that she was sitting here making up her own little stories. It was hurtful that she would believe that I would do her dirty. She was so quick to turn on me with no f-cking evidence. Just a f-cking note that didn't even explicitly state that I had anything to do with it.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, you're going too far, Andy. I don't think Delaney has anything to do with this. Her father probably doesn't either. Remember when Craig got killed, the note was signed by 'an old friend.' You never knew Delaney's father. None of us did so he couldn't be an old friend to either of us. Someone's posing as him," Leo, for once, said with rationality.
"Thank you, Leo! Speak some sense into this idiot," I said as I went to stand beside Leo. At least she understood what the f-ck was going on.
Andy ran her fingers through her hair and she looked stupid as hell. That one simple fact from Leo made her realize how f-cking stupid she was being. "But that could've been a trick. He probably wanted us to go in the wrong direction," Andy continued to accuse my father.
"There's way too many possibilities. Therefore, we can't just pinpoint it on Delaney's father and we definitely can't pin this on Delaney. We all know she'd do anything for you and she wouldn't f-ck with you like that. You're really upset right now and you need to get some air because Delaney is innocent and you're accusing her without any hard facts," Lin defended me. She honestly shouldn't have to defend me. Andy should just f-cking trust me.
"I'm going outside for some air," Andy said before leaving out of the apartment with the note in her hand. Eva offered to go with her but she declined. Once she walked out, I covered my face with my hands and took a deep breath. That was stressful as f-ck. How could she not believe me?
"Delaney, she's totally out of her element right now. I doubt she actually believes you had something to do with this. Forget what she said. She's easily influenced right now. She's scared right now and she doesn't know who to trust. She probably doesn't even trust us right now," Rafael said as he gave me a soft smile.
"Yeah, we know you're a ride or die and Andy does too. She's just being dramatic. When she gets back in from her walk, she's going to be telling you how sorry she is and all that bullsh-t. Watch," Leo said with a shrug.
About ten minutes later, Andy came back and Leo was right, in a way. She came in and immediately apologized to me but my father wasn't off the hook. "We have a note right here saying he did this. When I present this to the Family, they're going to want me to kill him. It's going to be a hunt for his f-cking head. They're going to be dumb also and try to accuse you of being a part of it. It's going to be messy."
"Get this cleaned up but don't present the note until tomorrow afternoon. I'm going to go and talk to my father. I'll confront him and ask him what's going on. There may be a very slight possibility that he's in on this but I don't believe he is. I definitely don't believe Camilo had anything to do with this but I'll ask. You just have to trust me. I would never f-cking hurt you."
"I know. I was just being stupid. We'll get this cleaned and cleared up, and you talk to your father. Be careful, though. He could be dangerous. I can have somebody follow you there and make sure-"
"Even if my father was in on this, he wouldn't hurt me. Trust me. I'm going to talk to him first thing tomorrow and give you feedback and we can go from there."
"Sounds good. Once again, I'm sorry. I don't want to believe it as much you don't but I have to know for sure."
"I understand."
-
Who do you guys think is in on the killing? Delaney's father? Camilo? Delaney? Lin? Leo? Rafael? Andy herself? *Law & Order dongs* Find out...next chapter.