Cut Too Deep (42 page)

“Did you ever consider turning him in took a great deal of backbone? You don’t know this girl! I’m sorry, but if he fucked her when she was underage, I don’t give a shit if she spread eagle and begged him, he held a position of power over this girl, and he used it inappropriately. He could’ve said no! He could’ve been faithful to his wife. Judging from the charges against him, I think he raped this girl for years, and I hope they fry his ass for it!” Hadley’s throat constricted as she finished. She glanced around the room to watchful eyes.

Mac regarded her cautiously while Adele looked appalled by her outburst.

“Jeez, Hadley. I’m sorry I didn’t mean to upset you.”

“I’m sorry, but sexual assault is a passionate subject for me.” Hadley’s voice calmer now, attempted to ease things over quickly before any questions were raised. It was hardly the setting for confession. Both Mac and Adele looked doubtful. Although she didn’t want to, she continued with a lie. “I have a close family member that was sexually assaulted. It’s very personal to me, and I don’t believe a person can ever ask for it, regardless of if they’re from a broken home and starving for attention.”

Hadley cast a look at Adele, daring her to argue.

Adele seemed to buy Hadley’s story and understood her point. She offered Hadley a heartfelt apology. Hadley accepted, realizing Adele’s intention wasn’t to attack her personally, the way she’d taken it. The things Hadley lived through were unimaginable, especially to a suburban princess like Adele.

Mac knew Hadley spun a story to defer attention from herself. She lived alone, no family, and definitely no
close family
. She’d been orphaned young and lived in foster care. She had a guardian. That thought is when it hit him. Hadley mentioned it once in passing, and at the time her body language raised a flag, much like it was now. Only this time she waved it frantically. Mac let his knowledge rest. A crowded bar was not the appropriate venue to grill her about something so personal. Not to mention, if Hadley was the one who reported the guy, she would need every friend she had to support her.

A horn sounded in the distance.

“Five minutes until start time. We should go back.”

Adele’s announcement felt like a pardon from the innervation wreaking havoc on Hadley’s mind.

They joined Quinn and Aggi in the box. Mac and Adele sat. Hadley chose to stand off to the side to watch the match. Both teams lined up facing center on opposite sides of the field. Miller was in front wearing a number one on his jersey, Otto directly behind him wearing number two, followed by men she didn’t recognize, wearing numbers three and four. A horn sounded loudly before an official tossed the ball in and play got underway.

Otto crossed the field and exchanged places with number three who raced number four of the opposing team toward the ball. Number three swung the mallet and the ball flew through the air toward Otto. A defensive player charged in Otto’s direction. Without hesitation Otto struck the ball, sending it Miller’s way right before he was bumped by a defensive player and nearly fell off his horse.

The heart stopping action made Hadley want to scream, ‘go, go, go’, but she held it in. Miller charged the ball, rearing back the mallet. Seconds later he connected with the ball. It launched from the grass, sending sod in in every direction much like a chip shot in golf. The ball gained speed as it raced toward the goal, only the other team’s number four close enough to stop it. The rider didn’t make it in time and the ball sailed into the goal. Hadley jumped up and down, clapping. She high-fived Aggi and Quinn, then Adele and Mac.

The match continued for two more chukkers. Riders changed ponies more often than Hadley expected. She had no idea who was winning. Aggi tried to explain the scoring system to her, but it was confusing, something about player ranks and handicaps. The action held her captive, and all too quickly the horn sounded for halftime. Spectators began leaving the grandstands and heading onto the field.

Quinn grabbed her hand and said, “Come on, doll. Time to stomp the divots.”

When they were on the field, Hadley looked at what everyone else did for direction. Girlish giggles came from Adele as her and Mac held hands. They flipped grass divots with their feet before pressing them back into the earth. Even the body guards looked boyish playing in the grass. The polo experience was enlivened by the half-time tradition. Hadley felt overwhelmed with joy. She stomped the divots, realizing her face hurt from smiling. Moments later, Miller pulled her into his sweaty arms and kissed her. She giggled and teasingly tried to pull away. Miller held on tight.

“The smile on your face is absolutely gorgeous.” Hadley flushed, and then the smile slid from her face completely. “What is it?” Miller asked with concern.

She shook her head and returned the smile to her face, only this one was forced. Hadley didn’t want to tell him about her former guardian being on the lamb and risk Miller being distracted during the rest of the match. He could get hurt. Miller saw through her attempted façade.

“It’s nothing, old ghost,” Hadley reassured him. “I love you.”

Miller doubted her, but needed to attend to his ponies before the match resumed. He planted a chaste kiss on her lips, before whispering to Quinn. Quinn nodded, his features stern.

Before long, play started again. The thrill of the game quickly pulled Hadley from her dismal thoughts of when Duwatski would show up.  When the match was over, Hadley didn’t know who won. Aggi fist bumped her and told her Miller’s team did. The announcer’s voice filtered through the speakers, telling everyone to join them on the field for the ceremonial Sabrage. Hadley had no idea what the announcer meant, but followed everyone to the lawn. She scanned the field looking for Miller. She found him with his arms around an older woman. As Hadley moved closer to him, the woman turned around.

Although nearly twenty years had passed, Valentina Benvenuti looked exactly the same, but for streaks of silver lining her shoulder length brown hair. Hadley’s feet stopped moving. She stood in the grass, lost in thought. Miller saw her and knew she was thinking too hard. He wanted her to let go of the hurt and anger. Miller told Valentina to wait and marched over to Hadley.

“I know you’re conflicted, but Duwatski used her, too. Give her a chance, for me, please.”

Her lip quivered. “I don’t know if I can.”

“It’s time to forgive. She made mistakes with your mother and you that she holds tremendous regret for, and I know you’re angry, but it’s time to let it go.”

Hadley nodded hesitantly and took Miller’s hand. With him, she could do it, and for him, she would do it. Tears glossed her grandmother’s eyes and her body trembled the closer they got.

“Hello, Hadley,” Valentina spoke first, concern over her granddaughter’s reaction clearly visible in the fine wrinkles around her eyes.

“Valentina,” Hadley greeted her grandmother stiffly, but smiled faintly.

“Così, bella!” Valentina beamed. “You look so much like your mamma.”

Hadley’s scalp prickled. “You mean like the daughter you abandoned?”

Valentina dropped her gaze to the grass, swiping the blades with the tip of her shoe. When she lifter her eyes, she was greeted with bone chilling coldness.

“I deserved that. I’m not here to make excuses for my behavior, but your grandfather was very set in his ways with these things.”

“That sounds an awful lot like an excuse.”

“Times were different back then.”

“They were for a lot of people, Valentina.”

Their conversation was headed for an argument. Miller started to speak, but Valentina held up her hand.

“Let us speak, please. This is a necessary conversation and long overdue.” Miller looked at Hadley, who nodded agreement. Valentina continued, “That is true, but we begged your mother not to go back to him. We threatened to take you away from her.”

“But, you didn’t, and you didn’t want me when I needed you most. My life was a nightmare, all because my only living relatives refused to claim responsibility for me.”

“That’s not true. I spoke with your guardian. I told him we would take you. He came to see us.”

“What?” Hadley shrieked in surprise. “When?”

“After I spoke with him about keeping you, he showed up at our home with a man and a woman. They claimed to be your aunt and uncle. They wanted to take you back to Russia.”

It was the same account Miller told Hadley.

“Didn’t you question it?”

A look of severe regret cast Valentina’s expression.

“Your guardian had signed paperwork. It looked official.”

“Only it wasn’t! My father didn’t have any siblings.”

“At the time we didn’t know that.”

“That is my problem. You and Salvatore sat high up in your ivory tower, wallowing in your hatred and your racist bigotry. You never bothered to find out anything about my father.”

“We knew he abused your mother, and it broke our hearts.”

Hadley threw her hands in the air in frustration. “And yet, you shunned her, rather than supported her. You should have helped her, damn it.” Hadley turned her back. Anger sent chills up her spine. “Miller, I don’t want to be here. Take me home, please.”

Miller nodded apologetically to Valentina and took Hadley by the arm. On the way out, Hadley spotted Otto in the crowd, opening a bottle of champagne with a sword. She wanted to participate in the celebration, but after the altercation with her grandmother, she was too upset. Antonio and Armonno fell in line with the couple, escorting them to Miller’s car. Hadley got inside and slammed the door shut. Miller spoke with his body guards before getting in the driver’s seat.

Tension hummed between them. Miller reached out to start the car but stopped. “That wasn’t necessary. She was trying.”

Hadley didn’t respond. Miller shook his head and relaxed in the seat.

After a couple of minutes, she said, “I know my behavior was rude, but given everything that happened today already, I don’t think I was in the best frame of mind to have that conversation.”

Miller turned his head toward her, remembering her odd behavior at half time. He knew she was off. “What else happened today?”

Hadley forgot Miller didn’t know about her former guardian yet.

“Charges were filed against Duwatski and an arrest warrant was issued this morning.”

His brow wrinkled. “That’s good news. If he’s in custody, you can relax a little.”

But she couldn’t relax.

“He’s not in custody! When they went to make the arrest, he was gone.”

Miller gripped the steering wheel tightly. He cursed under his breath about incompetent cops and poor police work as he fired up the engine.

“Fuck!” His rage unnerved Hadley. She knew Miller had a temper he struggled to control, and she’d never seen him so angry.

“There’s more.” Hadley announced meekly.

Miller couldn’t take much more. He was already planning a murder in his mind. “What is it?”

“After raiding his home, they filed charges for the assault, but also child pornography and human trafficking.”

“Do you know what they found?”

“I spoke with Don. He didn’t want to tell me over the phone. He’ll be at your place tonight at seven to speak with us.”

That worried Miller a great deal. Whatever the detectives attained was going to be painful, or Don wouldn’t request an in person discussion. Miller feared whatever they found would be the thing to finally break the woman he loved.

“I’m calling Vito.”

“The police will find him.”

“I’m not taking that chance. Vito can find him faster.”

Hadley didn’t want to argue. She offered a compromise. “That’s fine, but I don’t want him hurt. If Vito finds him, he needs to turn him in. I want that bastard to suffer the humiliation of a public arrest.”

It was selfish of Hadley. Vito could arrange for her guardian to disappear. No one would ever find him, but it wouldn’t be nearly as satisfying. Hadley needed Duwatski to witness her strength, to know he never broke her, so she could fully heal and have a future with Miller.

“I don’t like it, but I’ll do it for you,” Miller conceded. “In the meantime, you go nowhere without Armonno and Antonio.”

Hadley agreed. The babysitters were growing on her anyway.

D
etective McAllister arrived promptly at seven.

Miller opened the door full of hostile energy.

“Detective.”

Don nodded. “Mr. Genetti.”

“I’m extremely concerned that your department let Duwatski slip through its fingers.”

Don came inside and removed the tweed fedora covering his balding head.

“I understand your concern. The man hunt has gone nationwide. The Feds are involved now. He’s running out of time.”

“That may be, but I’ve spoken with my uncle. There is no room for error here.”

“As I’ve told you, I will deny knowledge of Lorino involvement.”

“Vito will be turning him in. Your conscience is clear.”

Don found the information puzzling. “Why would he do that?”

Miller tipped his head in the direction of the living room where Hadley was waiting anxiously on the couch. “She wants traditional justice.”