“That stupid bitch?” He scowled. “She’s gone. Vanished from the face of the earth.”
“I’m sure you’re responsible for that. And since you bailed her out, through your attorney, you’re on the hook for that.”
“It can’t be traced back to me,” he said, waving the knife in the air as if Carole’s death was insignificant.
“You don’t think that attorney will talk?” Julia snorted. “He’ll rat you out so fast it’ll make your head spin.”
“Then I’ll have to take care of him, too.”
Oh, God. Had she just sentenced that man to death? “You have to get rid of me first,” she pointed out. And she wasn’t going easy.
Jeff moved closer, and Julia backed away. Nico, where are you?
“Are we going to play chase around the kitchen, Julia? I always won when we played that as kids.”
“That’s because you were ten years older than me. I think the playing field is level now.” She’d edged close to the knives. They were on her right, and she knew exactly which one she wanted. And knew precisely where it was.
Without taking her eyes off Jeff, she grabbed the large chef’s knife off the magnetic rack and pointed it toward Jeff.
He tilted his head. Smirked at her. “We gonna have a knife fight, Julia?”
“Mine’s bigger than yours,” she pointed out.
Jeff smiled. “Not gonna stop me. I’m almost sorry I have to kill you, Julia. You’ve turned into an interesting adult. But I’m afraid there’s only room for one Stewart in the world.”
Jeff stalked closer to her, and she held the knife in front of her as she darted toward the pizza counter. The corridor that led to the restrooms was on the other side of it. If she could get to that narrow passageway, she’d emerge into the dining room. And safety with Nico.
As she edged toward the high pizza counter, the knife clutched in her hand, Jeff lunged toward her. She avoided his blade and slashed at his right hand with her knife. She cut through the tendons above his wrist, and Jeff’s knife clattered to the floor.
He stared at the blood welling up from the wound. When he raised his head, all the ugliness living inside him twisted his face into a grotesque mask.
With a snarl, he lunged for her. Julia danced away, still holding the knife in front of her.
As Jeff moved closer, his right hand dripping blood and his left hand clenched into a fist, the swinging door into the dining room edged open. Nico was framed in the crack between the door and the wall. He drew his arm back and let something fly.
It hit Jeff on the side of his head with a dull thud, and he dropped to his knees. Slowly tumbled over onto his side. An Old-Fashioned glass lay in splinters beside his head. A gash in his scalp sent a small river of blood onto the floor, blending with the blood from his wrist. Her brother lay unmoving on the tile.
Nico rushed over and pulled a zip tie out of his pocket. He yanked Jeff’s hands behind his back and slipped the white plastic over his arms. Tightened it until the band cut into his skin. Then he slid another zip tie around Jeff’s ankles.
The blood pouring from the gash on his arm slowed to a trickle.
Finally Nico stood up. Kicked Jeff’s knife to the other side of the room. Removed Julia’s knife from her hand and set it on the pizza counter. Then enveloped her in his arms and buried his face in her hair. “God, Jules. Listening to Dawson brag about how he’d killed your family terrified me. Thank God you had the presence of mind to push that panic button.”
Now that she was in his arms, she was shivering. Freezing cold. Her teeth chattered. “Why… why did you wait so long to take him out?”
“I wanted to get him on the record. Wanted him to tell you all about how he staged the explosion.”
“Were you recording him?” She leaned away long enough to glance up at him.
“No,” he said. “You were. The panic button also activates your phone’s voice recorder.” He pulled her close again, and she felt him shaking, too. “I died a little every second that I waited, but I wouldn’t have let him hurt you. And I loved the way you stood up to him. Love the way you disarmed him. I’m so proud of you, Jules. You were amazing.”
She burrowed closer. Never wanted to let him go. But someone began pounding on the back door. She didn’t move.
Nico set her away from him. “That’s Flynn. His signal knock to let me know it’s him.” He hurried over to the door and unlocked it as Julia stared down at her brother, unconscious on the floor. Blood pooled around his head and slowly spread.
“What the hell?” Flynn’s voice as he stepped into the kitchen. “Who’s the guy on the floor?”
“Julia’s brother,” Nico said, his voice grim. “The one who was supposedly killed in the explosion.”
Flynn stared down at Dawson. “You’re shitting me.”
“Unfortunately not.” He reached for Julia, pulling her to his side. “Time to call the police.”