Justice (23 page)

“
Just forget I said anything,
”
I say, now mortified on top of everything else.

“
Don’t be embarrassed,
”
he says,
“
it’s a perfectly natural thought. I have momentarily entertained the notion, but your attitude toward me quickly dispelled it. No, I just…admire you. You’re tenacious, brave, and brilliant. This city, but especially your friend in there, needs you. And you need him too. You lost a friend today as well.
”

A sarcastic laugh escapes before I can stop it.
“
I guess.
”

“
What does that mean?
”

I shake my head.
“
It means I was a two-faced bitch who only pretended to be her friend when in reality I wanted to push her off a cliff a lot of the time.
”

“
Really? Why?
”

“
Nothing she did. It wasn’t her fault. She was nice. Kind, funny, smart, just perfect. I would have liked her if I let myself. There was just one thing I could never get past about her.
”

“
What?
”

I look up at the superhero and smile sadly.
“
That he loved her, not me.
”

Justice’s shoulders slump.
“
Who? Your…friend, Mr. Pendergast?
”

“
Worst kept secret in Galilee. I’m surprised you never heard.
”

“
No, I didn’t.
”
He pauses, clearing his throat.
“
How long have you harbored these feelings?
”

I scoff.
“
Forever.
”
I sit back down, suddenly tired.
“
From the moment he opened his mouth twenty years ago, my heart belonged to him.
”
I shrug.
“
But he didn’t want it. Probably never will.
”
I bite my lower lip.
“
Then she came. She was everything I wasn’t: sweet, charming, gorgeous. And he wanted
her.
So I hated her. Him a little, too. But they got their comeuppance, huh? Ha fucking ha,
”
I say sarcastically as my voice breaks.
“
Sure showed them.
”

Justice sits across from me.
“
Wishing a person dead does not make it happen, Joanna. You know that.
”

“
I brought a monster with a grudge into their lives. I let him walk past me. Twice.
”
I run my hands through my hair.
“
I was so pissed at him I let my anger cloud my judgment. I bruised his ego. Dared him to come out. I knew what he was, what he was capable of, but I did it anyway to prove what a badass I am. You have the right idea, hiding behind that mask. You know, going after me I understand. I poked a rabid dog with a stick, he should bite me. But going after an officer’s friends and family is something you just don’t do. You don’t. He did.
”

“
There was no way you could have known,
”
he says after a long pause.

“
They wouldn’t even be on his radar if it wasn’t for me. Everything, everyone I touch, I damage. My dad, my mom, Har—
”
I stop myself. I take a moment to collect myself.
“
Justin saved my life, you know. Now I’m the cause of the rape and murder of the love of his life and future daughter. He’ll wish he had let me jump. He’d be right to.
”

“
Never think that.
Never
,
”
Justice says vehemently. He leans across the table, reaching for my face. He lifts my chin up to where his hidden eyes are.
“
Listen to the words coming out of my mouth like you have never listened to anything before. This is not your fault. This is in no way, shape, or form your fault. He did not target them because you called her your friend, your sister. He didn’t target them because you didn’t like her for whatever reason.
”
He pauses before saying,
“
He didn’t do this because you’re a horrible person who deserves misery. He did this…
”
he says, voice quaking,
“
He did this…
”

He can’t finish the sentence. He falls back into his seat, and looks away as if I can see underneath the mask. I’ll bet this is the closest he’s let another person glean what’s behind it in a long time. I guess sometimes we all forget that under the costume and powers there’s a human being in there. He pays his bills, he washes his clothes, and maybe he cries in the shower so no one can hear him just like me. We’re not so different, him and I.

“
This isn’t your fault either,
”
I say.
“
You’re only one man. You can’t be everywhere. You can’t know everything. You caught him once. You’re the one who got him off the streets for three years when no one else could. We need you now. We need you strong. Fierce. We need our hero.
”

As those words pop out, I realize I mean them. I’ve resented him for an event that wasn’t his fault for decades. He’s not God. He wasn’t there that night to punish me. He’s as fallible as the rest of us. A pang of regret hits me. All these years working together with my old idol and I’ve squandered it. I could have learned from him. We could have helped each other more. All for nothing.

For a moment he looks at me.
Really
looks at me. I’m uncomfortable, but don’t let it show.
“
And here I thought you hated me,
”
he says.

“
I don’t hate you. You’ve pissed me off sometimes. Made me feel inept. Obsolete. And…you let me down once, but that wasn’t your fault.
”
I take a deep breath and say it because it’s true.
“
I just, I—I feel better knowing you’re on my side.
”

“
I feel the same way about you, Detective.
”
He pauses again.
“
I’m so sorry you were dragged into this. I’m sorry it’s affected you so. I will do everything in my power to keep you safe. To find him. I give you my word, and I never give it lightly. I will not let him harm you,
”
he says with utter conviction.
“
I
swear
it.
”

Listening to those words with his severity, it hits me. There’s really a madman who wants me dead. He’s going to try to rape and burn me alive with acid. I’m a police officer, I know every day on the job I take my life into my hands. It could happen at any time. Leaving to interview a person, walking through a door even. I can rationalize it away. Most police barely draw their weapons in a career, let alone get involved in a shoot-out. But this…it’s inevitable. I know the man after me. He’ll battle his way through an entire legion of superheroes and police to get what he wants. Me. He can’t be stopped. He can’t be reasoned with. He is pure evil and he is coming for me. At some point in the near future, probably when I’m least prepared for it, I will be fighting for my life. The odds of coming out of it are against me. I’m living on borrowed time. I’m going to die.

I glance at Justice.
“
He’s really coming for me, isn’t he?
”

The terror must have leaked through to my face because Justice doesn’t respond right away.
“
Not if I get him first.
”
Clearing his throat, he stands up.
“
Stay in the house as much as you can. Be surrounded by people at all times. Don’t go anywhere without the guards, no matter how much you dislike having them around. Keep your eyes open for anything suspicious.
”

“
I will.
”

“
Good. I’ll be watching. Be safe.
”

“
But what if I need—
”
I feel the whoosh of air beside me before I can finish. He’s gone.

The curtains inside waft in the breeze, but I shut and lock the door. It does nothing to stop the chills. I rest my head against the cool fabric and glass underneath, clutching onto the thin drapes as I push away the panic and desolation.

“
Jo?
”
Justin asks behind me.

I give myself a second, just a second to rein my emotions in. They whip back into their prison, and I turn around to my friend with a small smile.
“
Hi.
”

He’s in a white undershirt and pajama bottoms, hair messy from sleep.
“
Are you okay? I heard voices.
”

“
It was no one,
”
I say, walking toward him.
“
What about you? Are you alright?
”

He shakes his head slowly.
“
No. Not at all. I could use a hug.
”

“
I think I can handle that.
”

He opens his arms to me and I do the same, pulling each other close. I lay my head on his pounding heart and he rests his on the top of my head. For the briefest moments, wrapped in his arms, I feel peace. I hope he does too. Because I’m sure we may never feel that way again.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Fault

The ride to the church takes so long I begin to worry we’ll be late. Surely Reverend Matthews won’t begin the service without the guests of honor. We can’t help that crews are taking forever to clean up after Hexen’s latest bid for attention. I heard on the radio they’ve caught two of the unicorns he summoned on Infantino Avenue.

Three days. It’s been three days almost to the hour since I found them. It’s flown by, I’ve been so busy. Lucy handled the funeral plans, Shannon the work-a-day problems and I helped with both, along with fielding the press and a million phone calls from old friends. When I wasn’t glued to the phone, and he wasn’t asleep, I watched old movies with Justin and played pool. He’s been sleeping a lot. Close to sixteen hours a day. Mom did the same thing after Pop. I’ll start to worry in a week.

I have found tiny pockets of time for myself, mainly used to aid in the investigation whether anyone liked it or not. It’s hard to do when you can’t leave the house, but I’ve managed. The photographer sent me the pictures from the engagement party, and in the hundred shots, I found about six with Alkaline in them. He wasn’t speaking to anyone, but in each he was close to me, Justin, or Rebecca. Stalking us. I phoned the others at the party who claimed to have seen him, but like me they only noticed him in passing.

Cam’s been feeding me information. He and Mirabelle stopped by for a follow-up interview with Justin and me. As far as I can tell, they’ve garnered no new information. Three days and nothing. He checked out of the hotel and vanished. No more dead bodies, no more leads, just dead quiet. He’s biding his time, waiting like a snake to pop out of a hole and strike. Where better than his victim’s funeral?

St. Agatha’s Church is the oldest standing building in Galilee. Even the heroes and villains leave it alone. People of all denominations flock here for the sheer beauty of it. Anyone who is anyone in Galilee celebrates their milestones here. Weddings, christenings, and funerals for the elite. It’s a beautiful, gray stone building with cathedral ceilings, statues of St. Agatha and the Virgin Mary, and six stained-glass windows each a story high. The ones in the back and front of the church are glittering rose windows with a red cross in the front. The other four are of Archangels Michael, Gabriel, Rafael, and Uriel, all in epic battle. They added those a hundred years ago when Madman, one of the first villains, tried to blow up the church. Lightening, the protector of the city at the time, managed to stop him, but the church was in tatters. It’s been neutral ground since. Hope Alkaline remembers that.

Police presence is palpable with patrolmen walking up and down the sidewalk two blocks in either direction. As we move closer, the press outnumbers the mourners and police. They’ve been pushed over to the other side of the street, held back by barricades. The police have also cordoned off the blocks surrounding the church. Bryan, the guard, pulls up to the barricade and shows the invitation to the patrolwoman. She orders all the windows rolled down and she peeks in. It takes her a second to realize who we are, and she’s suitably mortified.
“
Sorry, ma’am. Sir.
”

“
Just keep up the good work,
”
I say.

We roll up to the front of the church. Justin looks at it and sighs. He was supposed to be walking in here to get married a month from now, not to attend his fiancée and her daughter’s funeral. None of us moves. I take Justin’s hand, squeezing it. He looks at me, indecision all over his face.
“
We can stay here as long as you need to,
”
I say.

He takes a deep breath, and then slowly lets it out.
“
Let’s get this over with.
”

The moment I step out of the car following Geoff and Lucy, it is as if a rock concert erupts. Screaming reporters overrun the usual city sounds. We’ve become national celebrities. Front page of newspapers across the country. My life has been picked apart and analyzed by every talking head with a microphone. I’m either a strong victim or as a few have hinted at, a possible murderer in league with Alkaline. The popular theory is that he butchered them at my behest so I could have Justin all to myself. Plausible, but only the tabloids were running with that one, and they stopped after Justin’s battalion of lawyers went after them. Besides that blip, I’m now considered a tragic hero and Justin is just tragic. And here we are in our designer funeral attire looking very melancholy and beautiful surrounded by police in case a mass murderer tries to melt us. I’m shocked they’re staying behind the barricades and not rushing us like groupies.

As quick as we can, the four of us—me, Lucy, Justin, and Dobbs—rush into the church. It can seat three hundred and will today. Lucy just took the wedding guest list and sent out funeral invitations from it. Though instead of pastels the guests are in black and instead of pink and white daisies there are solemn lilies and a cornucopia of wreaths from mourners at the front of the church. In the center of the field of flowers there is a recent picture of the Thorntons taken at the beach. Marnie gazing down as Rebecca and Daisy build a sandcastle. I’ll bet Justin took the picture. There are no coffins as they were cremated. The remains were delivered this morning and we’re keeping them at the mansion until Sam, Rebecca’s brother, can fly back from the Middle East to bring them to Lake City. They’ll be interred near her father. Makes the most sense, I guess, keeping them all together. Justin didn’t object.

People offer their condolences to Justin as we pass, some I know, but the others must be from Independence, Lake City, or the hospital. Scattered around are police in dark suits trying to blend in with the crowd. Mirabelle nods at me, and I do the same back. I wonder if Harry’s here. The mayor and commissioner push their way toward us, no doubt to suck up or beg for forgiveness. Either way while Justin is distracted, I worm my way around the group and down the aisle to the less populated front with my shadow a step behind me.

I barely have time to take a breath before Bitsy rushes over to me, her eyes red and swollen. Without a word, she hugs me tight. My bodyguard doesn’t stop her, the louse.
“
Oh, God, I don’t know how I’m going to make it through this,
”
she says.

I pull away as politely as possible.
“
Yeah.
”

Bitsy dramatically turns to the photo.
“
They were so beautiful. This is just such a tragedy. I still can’t bring myself to tell Preston. He’ll be heartbroken. He loved Daisy too.
”
She looks back at me.
“
We try and shield him from unpleasantness such as this.
”

“
Probably a good idea,
”
I say.

“
And how are you? We haven’t spoken since…the day.
”

“
I’m fine. I’m coping.
”

“
And Justin? How is he?
”

“
Holding up well, considering. You should go over. He’d love to see you.
”

“
You think? Okay, then.
”
She squeezes my arm.
“
If you need anything, please call.
”

Yeah, right.
“
Thank you.
”

She walks away, and I plunk myself in the front pew, already exhausted. A few guests walk up to the altar to examine the flowers or put checks in the donation box just underneath the photo. My kind-hearted friend has spent most of his waking hours organizing the
“
Dr. Rebecca Thornton Pediatric Recovery Wing
”
where parents and children will have a mini-apartment to stay in if the child needs long-term care. That way they can all be together and maintain a sense of normalcy. Good thing he’s on the hospital board as it cuts through a lot of red tape. There’s going to be a gala fundraiser in two weeks if all goes as planned. The cute doctor that Rebecca tried to set me up with, Jem something, puts his check in. He glances at me, smiling awkwardly and blushing, before rushing away. Probably counting his lucky stars we never got past flirting.

“
Mind if I sit for a minute?
”
a woman asks.

I turn and smile at Grace.
“
Only if you dare. I am a marked woman.
”

“
Welcome to the club.
”
Her sunglasses envelop half her face, a tiny bid for anonymity. They match her black suit with large diamond brooch.
“
I snuck in through the back. The press hasn’t stopped phoning me since Saturday.
”

“
I’m surprised you came. It’ll mean a lot to Justin.
”

“
That’s the only reason I’m here. I almost told my driver to turn around three times.
”
We sit in silence for a moment as she gazes to the photo.
“
They were beautiful. All of them. I wish I had met them.
”

“
You would have gotten along.
”

“
It’s such a waste, and to die like that.
”
She pauses again.
“
He didn’t…um…with the child, did he?
”

“
No. He smothered her with a pillow. The other two, he burnt alive.
”

“
How much evil can one man be capable of?
”
she asks to herself.

“
I stopped asking myself that question years ago. Just when you think you know the answer, someone goes and does a thing like this. It makes me want to go and live in a cave.
”

“
I’m surprised you aren’t in one right now,
”
Grace says.
“
I heard he threatened your life. I’d be halfway around the world if I were you.
”

“
Doing what’s in my best interest has never been my strong suit.
”
I pause.
“
You have just as much reason to be afraid today as I do.
”

She looks down at the floor.
“
Not really. It would seem James has a new obsession to occupy him now. I don’t envy you.
”

For some reason the word
“
obsession
”
grips my attention.
“
Why do you assume he’s obsessed with me?
”

Before she can answer, Justin and Lucy approach. Grace and I stand.
“
Hello, Grace,
”
Justin says, hugging her tiny body.
“
Thank you so much for coming.
”

“
How could I not? You were so wonderful to me after everything. This is the least I can do. I’m just sorry I never got to meet them. I’ve heard nothing but lovely sentiments.
”

“
How are you doing?
”
Justin asks.

“
Isn’t that my line?
”
We all smile.
“
I’m fine, Justin. I am so sorry, though. I know what you’re going through. It’s complete and utter hell. If you need to talk…
”

“
Thank you, Grace.
”

She kisses his cheek, nods at Lucy, and walks off to find a seat. The reverend starts preparing for the sermon at the pulpit so the guests begin sitting, as do we. The bodyguards sit behind us and when I glance back, I spot Harry a few pews behind with Cam next to him. My stomach clenches. I haven’t seen or spoken to Harry since Saturday. I’ve wanted to, and have actually picked up the phone, but just couldn’t dial. No idea what to say, I guess. Both he and Cam smile sympathetically and nod. I do the same.

“
We are here today,
”
Reverend Matthews begins,
“
to mourn the passing of three young souls who were ripped from our lives too soon. Marnie, Rebecca, and Daisy Thornton were new to our city, but judging from the sheer number of you here, I can say that they have made their impact, and that we are all better for having had them here.
”

Reverend Matthews continues on, showcasing their accomplishments mixed with bible verses. Behind me, people sniffle or weep. This is only the third funeral I’ve ever attended. Mom’s was merely a formality. Quick and painless. But Pop’s…it was small, only about ten people showed. Uncle Ray and Pop’s boss Dominic gave eulogies, but they could barely be heard over Mom’s sobs. She hadn’t stopped crying since the police came to our door. Four days of her crying and I was in shock. I’m the one who planned it. She couldn’t even decide which suit to bury him in. I didn’t cry once, not until I was alone in my room that night. Everyone had gone home, Mom was passed out in her bedroom, and I felt completely and utterly alone in every sense of the word. The unfairness of it all was crippling me. A girl shouldn’t know the world is a shithole with no chance of it ever improving at age twelve. My heroes were gone, leaving me with nothing but misery on the horizon.

I sat on my bed just looking up at all my Justice crap. Posters, action figures, even a mask like his. Fury and desolation just washed over me. I felt betrayed. I worshiped the man, and the one time I needed him, he didn’t show up. I thought he actually
cared
about us. No. Another lie. I couldn’t take it anymore. I ripped off, smashed, and then burnt anything with his face on it before running out of that apartment. I hopped on my bike and rode until I couldn’t anymore, finally stopping on Pendergast Bridge, willing myself to jump. You can only be strong for so long before you break. I broke.

Like now. I’m sitting here, head up high, stoic, representing their family when I really feel like screaming at the top of my lungs, but I can’t even cry. I’m the strong one, forged by fire and ice. Dobbs blots his tears with a tissue, Lucy remains stony, but when I glance at Justin my façade crumbles. He’s desperately trying to keep himself together, though his eyes are rimmed with tears and his chin quivers. It literally feels as if someone plunges a knife into my heart. I can’t look at him for the rest of the service.