There was no tragic yell, no dramatic waving of arms as Freider plummeted three stories down. Just a slight widening of his eyes as he realized what had actually happened, what his fall meant.
The sound the body made when hitting the pile of bricks below made Maxi retch and throw up, her stomach having violently without warning. Snitch Gravel pulled her hair from her face, then left her to it, his free hand rubbing her back.
It took a couple of minutes for her racing heartbeat to subside, for her stomach to completely empty and leave her staring at warn out wood and bits of light flitting through the cracks. The body wasn't visible from there and she was grateful. She didn't think she had the strength to look at it.
Snitch Gravel had sat on the edge of the platform, taken his coat off and was rolling up the sleeves of his shirt, wincing as he went. Maxi wiped her mouth and sat down next to him, fixing her gaze on the wall in front of them.
"Is he...?" she asked.
"Dead?" He looked down. "Yup."
Bile rose to her mouth again and she wrapped her arms around her stomach, but no tears rose to her eyes. Her mind reeled, still trying to make sense of what had happened, how everything had ended so abruptly. One second she as running for her life, and the next... It was so quiet.
"So he lured us here," she said to break the silence. Something else was falling into place, something that made her want to vomit again. "Which means he blew up my house and had our children shot at."
Snitch Gravel shrugged, then immediately winced. "Didn't think he had it in him, but I sure as hell didn't do it."
"What am I going to do now?" she whispered.
"Go out there and tell the world I killed him."
Her face snapped in his direction. "You didn't kill him. You saved me."
He didn't seem to care much about the distinction. "It's still true. Just like if I'd chosen him, I would've killed you."
"You told him not to move. You couldn't save us both!"
"So what? Are you going to go out there and explain all this? Admit it. Even you don't know what it is, what it means."
"Do you?"
He didn't look at her, just kept staring at the wall in front of them, his eyes unfocused. "It doesn't matter. Not anymore. This is easier for everyone involved. Keep the good name of the family, let your kids believe their dad was a hero."
Maxi chewed on her lower lip, recognizing the merits of his plan. It would be so much easier to call the police and let Snitch Gravel take the fall for this. He was, after all, a wanted man. Nothing would change. And in turn, her kids wouldn't have to live with the family name tarnished. They could still be proud of it. That cursed name... Life had been so much easier without it.
"You know," she whispered, "you could end it right now. Push me down to join him and your revenge would be complete. Then you could leave the kids alone."
"I already told you it was never about killing." His voice was dispassionate. "And as for torture... I think this is enough fuel to guarantee a lifetime of nightmares."
"That we can agree on." She stared at her hands. They were shaking. Maybe because her husband was dead and she was sharing small talk with a murderer. "How does it feel?"
"Disappointing." He stayed quiet for another few minutes before turning to her. "Did you ever really love him?"
The question caught her off guard and filled her eyes with tears. "I don't know. But I won't deny he made me happy at times. We had our moments. He was a good husband and a good father when he was happy." When he wasn't, he was a monster.
Snitch Gravel seemed to read between the lines because his fists clenched. "So I take I was the reason for his unhappiness?"
"Constantly." If only she'd realized what she was getting herself into. But she'd been young and desperate and such a naive idiot.
It was over. The silence between them said that much.
Finally, she turned to look at him. "What are you going to do now?"
"Why does it even matter?" He really did look disappointed, as if his entire revenge plan had been foiled by the death of his enemy. "I think he had a point. He finally got the upper hand."
"Does it hurt?"
He turned to her this time, and his eyes gave her the answer. He was in agony. Because no matter the hatred between them, it couldn't erase the past, their bond, what they had once meant to each other.
"Who did you really kill? Your enemy or--"
"Don't say it." He turned away again, focusing on his shoulder. It looked as if the bullet had only grazed him. "And while you're at it, don't say my name either. I feel like it's on the tip of your tongue."
Her heart ached for him. Why? This man repeatedly tried to murder your children. He beat Sam into a coma.
And yet, the past was stronger than her. It always had been, and it still was now, at the end.
"Snitch Gravel is a stupid name."
He huffed. "I know. Nicholas was never really any good at coming up with them. It was a right challenge turning that into something to be feared."
"Just look at what it turned you into."
"I know that, too." His blue eyes settled on hers and he'd never resembled his old self more. "Don't try to save me, Millie. There's nothing left to save."
She winced at the name, her body rejecting it on principle. "Don't call me that either. It's no longer who I am."
"Too bad. She actually had some potential. Not a big fan of Maxi. She's the idiot talking to the monster actively and constantly endangering her kids."
"I suppose you'll stop that now."
His smile was bitter. "Didn't you get what I said earlier? It's about me and them now." He looked down once more, his expression slightly disgusted. "And you and Freider are really out of the equation."
For a second, Maxi considered shoving him off the scaffold. Then she could throw up some more and cry her eyes out, but it would all be over. He wasn't expecting it, was hurt, would probably fall... Before she could talk herself into it, he stood. On cue, the sound of sirens cut through the air.
"Goodbye, Maxi." And just like that, he headed down the nearest ladder.
She didn't follow his progress, afraid she'd catch an accidental glimpse of Freider. She couldn't face that. And she wasn't sure why she wasn't crying, why she just felt numb. Maybe she was still in shock, unable to compute how her past had bitten her in the ass one last, painful time. How it was now walking away with the promise of leaving her alone but hurting her kids. It wasn't fair.
Her vision blurred and she chose to remain there, rocking back and forth like a helpless child. This had served nothing.
The sound of running steps and shouts didn't pull her out of her bubble of denial, either did the whirlwind of police and paramedics asking questions. What had happened? Who was responsible? Was she hurt?
She stuck to the easy story. She and Freider were there to face Snitch Gravel about constantly attacking their children. It all turned sour and Freider paid for it with his life. Snitch Gravel turned tail the moment he heard the sirens and didn't have time to finish her off as well.
No, she had no idea why he was alone. No, she didn't need to go to the hospital. Instead, she ended up at the police station, in one of the interrogation rooms. At least they left her alone to brood. The shock was still present, morphing time, shielding her mind and her heart in indifference. Freider was dead and there was nothing she could do about it anyway. Panicking wouldn't help. Neither would crying.
"Mom?"
She jumped a mile and turned towards the door. Kyle stood there, in his uniform, his face filled with concern.
"Oh, dear God."
Why hadn't she put two and two together and realized she'd have to break the news to her kids? They weren't mind readers, they didn't know. Would they blame her? Would they understand?
"What the hell happened?" He sat down in front of her and she pulled back, not ready to face him. Especially him.
"I already gave my statement." But this was news she couldn't just send him off to read, as much as she wanted to. She had to say it. Lie for his sake, for the sake of everyone. "Snitch Gravel killed Freider."
"What?"
Of course that wasn't enough. She could tell from the shocked expression on Kyle's face. There was a lot to explain. Her bruises, the circumstances of Freider's death, why she was still alive and how Snitch Gravel had escaped. Why she was there alone.
"I just can't say it all again right now." Tears filled her eyes and her throat clogged. "I just... Oh, God."
Kyle squinted at her for a moment as if trying to read between the lines, but finally decided it was more important to prevent an impending panic attack. So instead of throwing a million questions at her, he rounded the table and caught her in a hug, letting her cry on his shoulder. Everything that happened replied in her mind, making the tears worse, bringing with them sobs and hiccups because she finally felt safe.
"He won't stop, you know," she said between tears. "He said it's between you and him now. I tried to make him stop, but he's beyond reason." She wasn't even sure who she was talking about anymore. Both of them were, each of them harboring a crazy blind spot for the other.
"We know that, Mom," Kyle whispered, patting her hair. "We can handle it. Just... Are you sure you don't want to go to the hospital? No offense, but you look a mess."
She was a mess, but she shook her head. "No. I just want to go home." Close herself off and not have to think about it.
"Then I'll take you home. Sam already took care or the broken window and someone should be there cleaning up."
She just nodded, letting her child comfort her, look after her. Because, as if turned out, she was piss poor at it herself. At looking after anyone, really.
Kyle took her hand, one arm wrapped around her shoulders, and led her out, filling her with a sense of safety and a peace she could never find within herself.
Snitch Gravel had been right. He'd educated them better than she and Freider ever could.
♠️♠️♠️
I know this is short, but this chapter has 3 parts so it's long af already.
Aaaaand here we are. This was a fun little romp into the past, wasn't it? I just need to know what you're thinking. Are things clear? Did you identify anything interesting? Do you think there was need for additional murder?
Of course, Snitch Gravel will obviously not back off because this happened, but it changed a lot. And poor Freider! (Does anyone actually believe that?) Do you think Maxi should've acted differently? (She's an idiot through and through, no denying that).
What are your theories regarding the past and what will happen next?
As mentioned, this is the biggest look into the past you will get until all your theories will be confirmed or denied in the final book. But that doesn't mean you're not getting additional interesting stuff in the next few chapters. 😁
See you next week!