Chapter 37 Caught
VICTORIA
I marched to the garage, my clenched fist swinging beside me as I walked.
“Where is he?" I asked the moment I walked into the garage.
My eyes flickered to my car, and my throat knotted in anger. One of the windows on the passenger side was shattered. Some splinters of the glass were scattered on the ground, while some were scattered over the seat.
I gulped hard, trying to calm down the rage that burned inside of me.
The diary was still there, hidden perfectly from the sight of everyone.
“Oh, God, why will he do something like that?" James groaned behind me.
“Because he is after me," I muttered, my eyes still fixed on the hidden diary.
I knew that was what he had come for. He ended up exposing himself.
I heard a sharp groan from a corner in the garage, then swung around and headed in the direction of the agonized sound.
I stopped dead in my tracks when I saw him, surrounded by my father and brothers, while the rest of my family lurked close by.
I took a deep breath and marched closer, joy and relief bubbling through me as I got closer.
Michael slammed his fist into his jaw again, and he dropped his head, spitting out blood.
His blue shirt was stained with blood that dropped from his cracked nose and busted lips.
I marched closer and didn't think twice before stepping in and gripping his hair, forcing him to look up.
My smile dropped when I realized that it was just one of the servants who worked in the house. It wasn't the serial killer, nor was it the man that I was after. I knew he was sent by one of them to get the diary, which was why he was caught easily.
“Who sent you?" I spat, and murmurs broke out among my family.
“Sent?" Connor muttered in confusion.
The man stared up at me with eyes full of tears and fear.
“I'm sorry, but he asked me not to tell," he muttered shakily.
My chest tightened in anger, and I didn't hesitate before slapping him fiercely across the cheek.
Gasps filled the air as his head jerked to the side while the imprints of my fingers appeared on his face.
“Tell me who sent you while you still have the chance!" I spat in anger.
He slowly raised his hand and clasped his trembling hands together, wincing. I was unmoved as I glared at him, clouded in anger.
“Ma'am Victoria, please, he'll–"
I slapped him again, and blood splashed out of his mouth.
“You bastard!" I growled and slammed my fist into his belly.
He fell over to the ground and wheezed uncontrollably, struggling to breathe.
“Are you going to talk or not?" I growled. He kept gasping for breath while gripping his side.
A warm hand clasped around my shoulders, and he pulled closer, shaking me slightly.
"Take it easy, Victoria, let's take him to the cops instead,” Mr Thompson muttered, but I shook my head in disagreement.
“No, I will get the truth out of him myself," I said.
“Victoria, you might kill him, let the cop handle him–"
“I'm a cop, and I have the right to interrogate him!" I cut off one of my cousins who tried to stop me.
I spun around to grab him up, but words from one of my cousins stopped me.
“If she hadn't been here, everything would have gone fine like it always did."
I straightened up and turned in her direction, my eyes darkening.
It was Olivia. I wasn't surprised. She had always hated me right from childhood, and she would never miss an opportunity to taunt me.
“Maybe, you can pick up your things and get the fuck out. This is my father's house, and it is my mother's remembrance. You have no right to say a word here!" I snapped.
She shuddered and exchanged glances with the ladies beside her, fear bouncing in her eyes.
But I knew she wasn't going to give up, and she didn't.
“That isn't what I meant! It's just a car, you can just…”
"It is my car! It is my life that is under threat, you motherfucking bitch!” I growled, unable to control the rage burning in me.
Olivia gasped in shock while everyone stared on with dropped jaws.
“You've never been under threat before, have you? You've never received death threats and feel like a bastard is watching you and every step you take! If you've never experienced pain and raw fear in your life, then don't you dare open your stinking mouth to say shit, do you understand, Olivia?"
Her hand was slapped over her mouth as she nodded, the fear in her eyes heightening. She was as pale as a ghost as she stuck to the wall.
I turned and glared at everyone around.
“If you can't bear to watch him get tortured, then fuck off and go have your lunch!" I spat without fear or respect.
I didn't care if anyone got offended by words, even if it was my father.
I marched towards the man and grabbed his collar, forcing him to go to his knees.
“Are you going to tell me the truth or not?" I questioned.
He coughed out blood again, his eyes rolling up.
“Will you tell me the truth…”
"If you don't talk, then be ready to lose your life,” Mr Thompson spoke up behind me.
I craned my neck back when gasps filled the air. My heart skipped a beat when I saw a gun pointed at us. Mr Thompson stepped closer, his eyes fixed on the man with a gun pointed at him.
“If you don't tell us who sent you, I'll put a bullet in your legs and make you cripple for life, or I might…” he paused and shifted the gun to his forehead, earning a horrified gasp from the man.
“I might end your life here and dump your body where no one will ever find it. No one is going to be hurt in the end, aside from your poor family. Stop being a promise keeper and spill the truth!" He muttered calmly.
His words and calmness caused chills to break out on my back.
“I… I will say the truth, please, my family has only me to look up to,” he stuttered and waved his hand in surrender.
I smirked in admiration for Mr Thompson's behavior, then turned and faced the man, the smirk disappearing into a frown.
"Who sent you?” I questioned again.
The man gulped hard and parted his trembling lips, then began to stammer out.
"A man met me a few minutes ago and asked me to break your car and get something for him,” he blurted out, and my heart constricted.
"Get what?” Mr Thompson snapped.
The man looked at me, then back at Mr Thompson, fear glistening in his eyes.
"He asked me to get whatever she dropped in her car,” he muttered.
"So you were watching me?” I snapped.
His lips parted his lips and he slammed them shut again, then nodded.
“Who is the man?" I asked, switching out of the topic of what was in my car.
“I didn't see his face. He was wearing a mask," he muttered.
“What did he look like? Was he tall, short, did he have any peculiar features, what is his smell like?"
Mr Thompson placed his hand on my shoulder, and I stopped blabbering.
The man stared at me in confusion and helplessness.
"I don't think that can help,” Mr Thompson muttered.
I sighed loudly and brushed my hair back.
“What are we going to do with him?" James asked.
“Should we call the cops?" Father asked. The man's head shot up, and he clasped his hands together, pleading.
“Please, I didn't mean to do it. He promised to help me settle my sister's hospital bills,” he pleaded.
Silence filled the air as we watched him plead for his freedom.
"Fine, we'll let you go, but you're fired,” I blurted out.
Relief darted across his eyes, and he sighed loudly, muttering a word of gratitude.
“But is the man still here?" Someone spoke up, and we all turned towards the garage's exit.
“If the man sent him to steal something from your car, then he must still be here," one of my aunts said.
I turned around and headed in the direction of my car, freezing in my tracks when I saw a shadow slip away into the far end of the garage.
“He is still here!" I spat and broke into a run, heading in the direction of the shadow.