Alex Barclay - Time of Death

‘Go, go, go,’ said Gary.

Ren burst through the door into the room where Catherine Sarvas and Domenica stood.

Domenica’s face went through a series of readjustments.

‘Drop your weapon,’ said Ren. ‘Drop it.’

Domenica glanced back and forth between the two of them.

‘Drop it,’ said Ren.

Domenica did as she asked.

‘Catherine,’ said Ren. ‘Please leave.’

‘I want to know where Michael is,’ she screamed at Domenica.

‘Let me take care of that,’ said Ren.

‘No she won’t,’ said Domenica. ‘She doesn’t give a shit.’

‘Catherine, go,’ said Ren. ‘Please.’

‘Ask her,’ said Domenica. She jerked her head at Ren: ‘Why don’t you tell Mrs Panzón your little history-’

‘Shut the fuck up.’ Ren turned to Catherine, her eyes pleading.

Catherine looked at her. Don’t screw this up. She had the courage to walk away from the only two people who could help her find her youngest son.

Ren waited until Catherine was gone before asking: ‘Tell me where Michael Sarvas is.’

‘I presume you heard me say that I don’t know,’ said Domenica.

‘Who killed Helen Wheeler?’ said Ren.

Domenica smiled. ‘I don’t know who Helen Wheeler is.’

‘Whether it was Javier Luis or James Laker or Erubiel Diaz, the answer, ultimately, is: you,’ said Ren.

Domenica shrugged.

‘Fuck you,’ said Ren. ‘You didn’t need to go near Helen.’

‘But I didn’t.’

‘You fucking bitch!’

‘You slept with James Laker and Javier Luis,’ said Domenica. ‘You let Luis escape to commit all the crimes you wanted to arrest him for. So you had to kill him. And you had to kill Douglas Hammond to stop your files being accessed. And then you killed Peter Everett-’

‘Who is Peter Everett, Domenica?’ said Ren.

Domenica smiled slowly. ‘Everyone knows who Peter Everett is.’

‘But not everyone knows what you saw him do, that you were the illegal Mexican nanny who gave Mia Hammond a little too much cough syrup to make sure she went back to sleep after all that commotion her daddy and Peter Everett made when they killed her mother.’

Domenica frowned. ‘What the-’

‘I know, Domenica. I know you gave Gavino cough syrup to make him sleep and keep him out of your way. And I know your first little kick of leverage was walking in on Douglas Hammond and Peter Everett. That was how you got them to do what you wanted all these years later. Peter Everett could doctor Helen’s files to make me look unstable, to make everything I ever had on you look like fiction. Douglas Hammond was roped in to make sure it all had the legal seal of approval. That didn’t quite work, though, did it? You were underestimating his guilt at what he had done to his wife. I’m betting he didn’t want any more blood on his hands. He knew what your next step would have been if my files weren’t released. He was trying to do me a favor.’

‘You are mentally ill,’ said Domenica. ‘You don’t know what you are saying, you are insane, you are paranoid. I have never even heard of these people.’

Ren moved toward her.

‘You came into my home, my life, my son’s life…’ shouted Domenica.

‘Which is more than you did.’

‘Oh, now look who is the little nanny.’

‘I was doing the job I was employed to do,’ said Ren. ‘What about you?’

‘He was my son.’ Domenica sobbed the last part. Domenica slammed a hand on to the table. ‘My son, you bitch. You broke the heart of a six-year-old boy.’

You have to be fucking kidding me. ‘You’re the one who’s insane,’ said Ren. ‘Did you not know that I was there in the woods when you ran from the compound with Gavino in your arms? I was there, you delusional bitch. I saw you look him in the eye…your seven-year-old son… and you tried to leave him behind. Alone. Alone.’

‘That’s not true.’

‘Oh my God,’ said Ren. ‘This is unbelievable. Do you really believe that? Do you? Have you re-written his entire childhood? At one point, you told me that he was the biggest mistake you ever made.’

‘I never said that.’

‘Then I’ve clearly come back late enough into your life for the edited version to have over-ridden the truth,’ said Ren. ‘Does Gavino even believe that shit?’ Ren walked away. ‘Why do I care?’

‘A little part of you loves my son,’ said Domenica.

Ren turned again. She was about to deny it but changed her mind. ‘And what if I did, Domenica? What if I did? Do you think we’re the same? Is that it? You are so fucked up.’

Domenica’s eyes shone with anger. ‘I won, Ren. You lost.’ She shrugged. ‘You lost your mind.’

Ren punched her — hard, fast relief. Domenica’s head snapped back and hit the wall behind her. She half-staggered to her feet, but collapsed on the floor. Blood was streaming from the split skin under her right eye.

And I do not care. Ren stood over her. Blood was dripping on to Domenica’s shirt, running from the back of Ren’s hand. And I do not care .

Ren was transfixed. Domenica locked eyes with her. They were streaming. No emotion, just salt water. Domenica didn’t speak. She struggled to her feet.

Ren turned briefly away. I can’t stand watching weakened people.

‘How pathetic it is that you have no control over your emotions,’ said Domenica.

Ren smiled. ‘The rollercoaster always has the longest lines.’

‘And the most dramatic drops.’

‘Oh, I think you had the most dramatic drop, Domenica.’

‘You have nothing, Ren. No one. You are wired for a lifetime of pain. You will always be discontent. And every day, you are aware of that. And every day for the rest of your life you will be aware of that.’

‘You have no clue,’ said Ren. ‘None.’

‘I read your file,’ said Domenica.

‘Do you know one thing psychiatrists always say?’ said Ren. ‘That they are not mind readers. They know only as much as the patient tells them. And with someone like me? Half an hour every few weeks? When what I say depends on the mood I’m in? You know nothing, Domenica.’

‘You took away the father of my child,’ said Domenica.

‘“Father of your child” — you make it sound so worthy. And…well, untrue.’

‘James loved me,’ said Domenica.

Insane. ‘Domenica,’ said Ren, leaning forward, ‘James Laker was raped.’

Domenica went to slap a fat hand across Ren’s face. Ren blocked it.

‘James Laker loved me,’ said Domenica.

‘Don’t be ridiculous.’ said Ren. ‘You haven’t got a clue. James Laker feared you. He couldn’t leave the compound. You were the warden he was your prisoner — that was your relationship. I helped him leave, so he could at some stage be a proper father to Gavino and have a chance at a decent life once you were put away.’

‘You did all that, yet you didn’t love Gavino?’

‘James Laker wanted to get as far away as possible from you,’ said Ren. ‘Can you understand that, Domenica? You crossed the border to get what you wanted, didn’t you? You understand what it’s like to do that to get what you want? Well, he did the same. He got the fuck away. Maybe you should have learned from yourself; maybe you should have patrolled your own borders a little better.’

A door opened to the right of Domenica and Gavino Val Pando walked in. The task force had gone through the building earlier, but no one had been assigned to cover that door, because it appeared to lead into a locked room.

Ren remembered the building plans. The skylight. There was a skylight .

The last time Ren had seen Gavino Val Pando, one year earlier, he was as handsome as she had always known he would become. He’d worn his hair short, he’d been fit, tanned, dressed well. He’d looked as if he’d stepped straight from an Abercrombie doorway.