The Devil's Revenge (The Devil's Eyes) (23 page)
“Don’t worry Jayzon, he will be fine. No one will ever suspect that I, of all people, would help you out. Besides, Nicky is a great kid and it will be good practice for Lena and I, you know, when we have our kids.” He laughs, exiting quickly before I can hurt him.
“Okay let’s get to work. I want this asshole. Eddy what did you learn?” I demand using my anger to plan the best attack.
“A lot actually. I took the time for a bathroom break in which I did some exploring on my own. For some reason no one considered me a threat.” Eddy says.
“It’s probably because of that ridiculous umbrella.” Elijah responds.
“This umbrella carried in ten listening devices and three explosives that I was able to strategically place within the home.” Eddy smiles up at Elijah’s shocked expression. “The explosions won’t cause a lot of damage, but will set off enough smoke to cause the inhabitants to become disoriented and …” He excitedly claps. “And cause them to open the home freely on their own to any unexpected guests.” Kayla excitedly hugs and kisses him, causing him to become dizzy and nearly fall out of his chair. He probably would have, if I hadn’t caught him and put him back in his chair.
“You know Kayla, I helped too.” Elijah says expectantly.
“Good for you.” Kayla snaps back.
I look over at him and he catches himself before accidentally looking me head on. “What is with you buying my wife?”
“Just part of the game Nicholas, got to play the part and all. Well it’s getting late. Are we done here? Can I go actually have some fun now?”
“Go. We will take it from here and call you with the next steps.” I nod, preferring him to leave rather than annoy me with his constant remarks.
“Yes Elijah, you can go back to your alcohol and prostitutes. We will handle the big boy work.” Kayla smiles at him.
“Big boy work - what was that I just did today?” He asks, meeting her face to face.
“Well from what I heard, you were a little nervous, rambling on and on like a scared puppy. I would hate for you to involve yourself into something that might scare you.” Kayla laughs.
“Nothing scares me. And I was not nervous, just irritated.”
“You weren’t just a little bit scared of the big men with all the guns?” Kayla teases.
I quickly step in front of Elijah before he says something that I will have to deal with later. “Go home Elijah, we will talk later – big boy stuff and all.” I glance back at Kayla and her smirk.
Back to listening to Welch’s conversations, I couldn’t be more bored if I tried. Nick is holding us up to make sure the plan against Estrella is near perfect. With Elijah’s help we are slowly closing off all of his trade routes and picking up some supplies along the way. I would prefer to be working on that, but at least I get to go back to the cabin tonight and spend the night with Sam, but not until Welch finally ends his day. I assume he is about to leave, but before he can take another step he gets a call.
Sigh
“Hello?”
“Spence.” Sam says launching me straight to the window.
What the hell is she doing? I told her not to call him!
“Spence, I’m sorry for everything that has happened but I had to call you and tell you that … I don’t love you and … that I am in love with someone else. I wish you well, but please stop searching for me. I am happy now and …”
“Where are you?” Welch asks.
“I don’t think I should tell you that, but I really am happy. I wish you could be happy for me.” Sam says seemingly searching for the right words to soothe Welch’s supposed pain.
“I am …” Welch pauses before a sudden clicking comes across the line. I scramble to try to reach her but she won’t switch over to my call.
Hang up Sam! Hang up!
“I do understand Samantha, and I am happy for you, but I would like to make sure you are okay and you are not being taken advantage of. You know how I worry about you Samantha. There are some unsavory characters in this world and you are not the best judge of people.”
“No Spencer, I have made my decision and I am quite happy with it and have no regrets. That’s all I wanted to say, good luck with your campaign Spence.” Sam hangs up and Welch immediately starts dialing on his cell.
“Did you get that? Good - go get her. I don’t care what you do, I just want her dead and make sure you put the blame on the Jayzon’s somehow. I am tired of them and want to be able to bring a vengeance against them that makes sense to all.” Welch confirms. I close up and rush out the door, calling Sam and telling her to do what she can to barricade herself in until I can get to her.
She has no idea what she just did.
“He is sending people out to kill you Sam. I told you
not
to call him!” She is hysterical but I don’t have time to chat or soothe her emotions. I have to get help and hope that my help does just that. Nick thankfully, answers his cell on the first ring. “Nick, Welch found out where Sam is. I am going to get her, but I don’t know how far behind me they are.”
“Don’t you go after her by yourself, Ryan!” Nick yells in his usual over demanding voice.
“I don’t have a choice Nick. They are set to kill her and pin it on you and Kayla. Just meet me. I turned on my tracker for you. Find me –
please
.” I don’t give Nick a chance to argue with me, hanging up and speeding down the roads. I hope to have enough time to grab her and get away, or at least hidden from any of Estrella’s and Welch’s men.” The distance seems to take longer than ever while every possibility of what I might be running into goes through my head. As soon as I pull up, the cabin door opens. Before I yell at her for not doing what I told her to do -
again
, I have to remind myself that she knows the sound of my car. I barely touch the ground as I leap to help her to the car. Pushing her head down and out of view I slam down on the gas and barely miss the oncoming car. Dodging around him I dodge another car trying to make it to the main road, but it’s futile. They sent more than enough men to take us, in fact they sent about ten more than I can take on by myself. “I’m sorry Sam.” I say, holding her hand as we wait to be dragged out of the car. I can’t fight and protect her too. My only hope is that I can keep her alive long enough for Nick to get here. Pushing us all the way back to the cabin, they are shocked that the two of us are all that they find. With my hands held to the back of my head, I am kicked to my knees as they search the cabin thoroughly.
“Who do you work for?” A man yells in my face.
“No one, just out here for a nice getaway with my girl.” I say, gasping when they kick me in the stomach with force.
“Please let him go, I will go back with you - just let him go!” Sam pleads, still not believing Welch would ever harm her.
Beaten to the ground, they jerk my arm out of the socket causing me to scream out as I try to fight them off me. “I am going to ask you one more time - who do you work for?”
He leans into my face, twisting my arm and believing he has me, “My boss is … a real dickhead.” I laugh, but a sudden rush of pain shoots up spine when they hammer my leg.
“Stop! Please stop!” Sam screams, in tears.
“You want to play the big man, fine. Let’s see what a man you are when I fuck your girl in front of you. I bet you won’t like it when you have to watch her enjoy my dick more than she has ever enjoyed yours.” Through the sweat and blood I stare wide as he throws Sam onto the bed and rips at her clothes. Forcing her down and tying her hands up with his belt, she screams and cries for me.
“No!” I somehow find a way to him, knocking him off her but earning an even bigger beating. I can barely see out of my swollen eyes but I know he is going after her again. “Fine! Fine I will tell you, but you have to get away from her.” My face is lifted out of the puddle of blood. Believing I am dead already, I have nothing to lose but one last opportunity for satisfaction. “Jayzon, I work for Nicholas Jayzon. My name is Ryan – Ryan Jayzon.” His eyes widen. “Yeah, my brother is Nick Jayzon - and you’re dead motherfucker!” I manage a broken and painful smile as I watch the realization come over him.
“Kill them both. Burn it down and let’s get the hell out of here!” The scrambling that is happening around us now feels good, even as the tormenting pain begins to paralyze me. With Sam crying and screaming I cannot hear much else, and with my eyes now swollen shut I can’t see a damn thing. Before I can worry about her, a gun is put to my head. Sam goes silent and I assume it is because she knows what’s happening. I make my peace with the world and God when the cabin window shatters. The gun falls away from my head and a limp body lands across me. A loud pounding and the door comes crashing in. I hear nothing but blasts until dead silence.
The body is pushed off me and soft hands take hold of my face, “Ryan, can you hear me?” Kayla says, sending relief easing through my body.
“Yes, but I am not feeling real well right now, Kayla.”
“We need to get him out of here now, Nick. He is hurt really bad, I think they broke every bone in his body.”
“Bring in something to carry him out with. Strap him down and get him out of here now!” Nick barks orders, but takes my hand on the sly to let me know he is going to take care of everything now and I can relax. When they carry me out of the cabin, I hear the jackass that was kicking the shit out of me.
“Where is that son of a bitch?” I try to lean up but someone holds me down.
“Where are you going?” Nick asks me.
“That was that jackass …”
“Got it.” Nick says simply.
“I didn’t know that he was your brother, I swear I didn’t know!” He screams as I wait for it.
“Yeah? Well too bad -
you’re dead
.” Nick bellows with an assured position. Gunfire begins as if it is being aimed at an entire army … but I know better.
There is evidence to clear Kayla and there are only two people that can help me get it. Unfortunately, my sister is forcing me to ask in person. Simone will know how to get what we need and be able to get the access, so reluctantly. I go into my sister’s house with Kayla at my side to help encourage Simone. I greet my son immediately, but take my time acknowledging Simone. “Nick? Nick, ask him.” Lena says with her arms crossed and her foot tapping.
Simone’s eyebrows rise as he suddenly becomes more interested in my presence. “I don’t like you, I will never like you.”
“The feeling is mutual.” Simone says, dismissing me to sit back down and read something on his phone.
“
However
, Kayla needs you to help her with something.” Kayla barely looks up at me as I motion towards her. Playing with our son, she is not at all interested in helping me out.
“Kayla needs my help? You mean there is something that you can’t help her with? Oh, this is going to be good.” He stands back up with a goofy smile.
Tensing, I try to be calm with my son nearby. “Someone killed that man and we know it wasn’t Kayla or Dwayne. So, we need to find that person and prove that - that person did it.” I say, taking a breath as he repositions with less of a smile.
“And how do you suppose we do that, or rather that I do that?” Simone asks with folded arms.
“The first cop on the scene said that Rankin’s body wasn’t even burned. Lena was never allowed to see it, someone over her took on the case. If that isn’t suspicious enough, the man received a call from Welch hours before he left to meet Kayla. Welch had him killed and then framed Kayla. Someone working for Welch is responsible and we need to find out who it is.”
“Welch? Are you crazy? How the hell am I supposed to get anything on Welch?” Simone shakes his head.
“You don’t have to get anything on Welch, I have a few ideas on who it is, all of whom are people you know.” I say, watching his reaction carefully.
Simone shakes his head, tensing up and bracing himself, “Cops? You’re telling me that it was a
cop
?”
“Probably more than one, but I need you to get enough DNA from the people I suspect and get it to Lena.”
“Then what? We don’t have anything to compare it too.” Simone opens his hands up until he reads my expression. “You’re going to steal the body? How? How do you even know where it is for sure?” I smile and he rolls his eyes. “Never mind – I don’t want to know.”
“We might have already gotten a lead on the body and borrowed it.” I say as Simone continues shaking his head.
“Jayzon - there isn’t much I can do. They put me on probation. I don’t see anyone except for my close friends, and I know they didn’t have anything to do with this. Besides I enjoy spending my day with Nicky here. We play and watch cartoons all-day.” He makes goofy faces at Nicky, causing him to laugh and reach for him. I pick my son up and glare at Simone.
“He’s my son, and your job is supposed to be, being a cop - not a baby-sitter. Do your job Simone. You were so very proud of it before, or are you losing faith in the ways of the law?” I say, jabbing him with his own principles.
“You really know how to get to me don’t you? Fine, but I do it
my
way. No input is needed from you.”
“Cheer up Simone. Hell, if everything works out right you may end up with a promotion.”
“More like a demotion, if I listen to you.” He grumbles.
“Well, whatever works out,” I smile wide.
“Don’t worry honey, I am sure my brother will make sure you keep your job. Otherwise, he will most certainly be willing to give you a job himself. A
very
high position in his business, I am sure.” Lena says as we both eye each other with disgust.
“Sure - love to.” I growled under my breath. Before I have a chance to kiss my son good-bye I notice a reflection of light outside. I thought it was my imagination at first until Simone notices it too.
Simone turns to me with his mouth tightened, “Did you not pay attention to who was following you?”
“Yes, we paid attention. No one knows we are here. What about you, what did you do today?” I ask him.
“Me? Who cares about me?” He says and then suddenly goes silent as he backs off accusing me. “I took Nicky to the park today. I didn’t think anything of it but …”