Chapter 232 THE DOG STILL BITES.
KAI'S POINT OF VIEW. Silas sighed, a heavy sound that carried the weight of the last forty-eight hours as he chose to drop the food conversation. He stood up, smoothing the front of his charcoal suit, and walked over to the window, looking out at the gray city skyline.
“Dominic has been quite helpful and….well, persuasive,” Dad began, his voice dropping into that low, dangerous register he used only for business.
“The detectives from the homicide unit have officially closed their preliminary inquiry. Between the illegal lab equipment found at the clinic, the proof of Aurora’s kidnapping at the hospital, the impersonation and murder of Misha, and Dominic’s influence on the local precinct, Marloise’s death is being ruled as justifiable homicide during the rescue of an Evermore heiress. You’re a free man, Kai. Legally, at least.”
I let out a breath of relief; the fear and tension brought about at the thought of being torn from Aurora melted away at his words. The fear of being torn away from Aurora by a pair of handcuffs had been a cold weight in my chest.
“There’s more,” he continued, turning back to face me. “The coroner’s office called, Kai.” He clicked his tongue, his eyes heavy with something I knew all too well, or rather, someone. “The post-mortem on... your mother... is complete. They wanted to know if the family wanted to pay their last respects before the state handles the remains. I told them no. But I figured I should ask you.”
I stared at my reflection in the mirror again. The silver in my eyes looked hard, like forged steel, hardened all over again by the past forty eight hours. “I don’t have any respect for a monster, Dad. Let the state have her. She’s been dead to me since Spain. This was just a formality.”
Dad nodded, his eyes no longer as heavy as earlier. “Also, they wanted to perform a proper post-mortem test on her. You know, to understand her brain and what sent her over that edge. They need my permission, but still, I should ask you as well. Do you mind?”
I shook my head and shrugged my shoulders. “I don’t care, Dad. As long as she’s really gone, they can do whatever they want. Is that all the news?” he shook his head, pulling the towel on the basket aside to reveal the food underneath.
“Yes…..Armando. He’s still claiming you have a hand in his confession. The lawyers believe he doesn’t have a case, and I think so as well. However, we need to find a way to make sure he gets locked away forever.”
“More than fifty people in that hall saw and heard him kill Denise, and their confessions. The only way a judge would believe him over the clear evidence of the audio and video footage is if he's bought and paid for. He is going down. The end credits of this movie are rolling already. Armando is only fighting for scraps, and whoever he can pull down along with him.”
“I know, son. We only need a way to ensure that Snake cannot be revived even after his head is cut off.” He pushed a plate of pasta over to me. I made to protest, but before I could, he scolds me, “I will not take no for an answer, son. You haven’t had anything to eat in the past two days, and no, Jello isn’t food.” He interrupts me before I can even speak. “Eat now. If you want to defeat Armando, you need to be at your full strength. Aurora needs you at your full strength.” I sighed, realizing there was no way Silas would let this go.
So I took the plate from him and ate. Each bite felt like sandpaper, but I pushed past it, swallowing each bite so I could be strong.
Because even as we rested, the war wasn’t over. We had one dragon to slay.