I looked at them both. They eyed each other cautiously. A tense silence enveloped the room.
“David, I need to read you your rights before you say anything else,” I told him quietly.
I started reading him his rights and put the handcuffs on him when Zack suddenly grabbed the gun out of my hand and shot David at point-blank range in the head.
The gunshot echoed around the room as his large lean body slumped to the floor. His head banged off a low coffee table as he went down. I felt the warmth of his blood as it splattered into my face. My stomach heaved at the revolting sight of the bullet in his forehead.
It was surreal scene, like we had stepped onto a Tarantino film set. Bright red blood seeped around his head as he lay on the cream carpet. His glassy brown dead eyes were looking right up at me. His mouth gaped open.
“Zack, Jesus! What the hell did you do that for?” I screamed.
I couldn’t believe what he had just done. My heart was pounding loudly in my ears. My mouth was dry. I stared at him, waiting for his answer. He turned to look at me.
“He was going to attack you again. He moved towards you. I took action to protect you or you could say you shot him. Whatever you like, Jennifer. You are the police, after all,” he calmly told me, looking blankly into my eyes.
He was acting as cool as a contract hit man. A shudder passed down my spine. My hands were shaking.
“I need to ring this in. I will say I shot him.”
I was trying my best not to panic. It would be a lot easier to say that I fired the gun. He obviously snapped and to be honest I wanted him dead after all the hurt he had caused.
After making the call, I wiped the gun of Zack’s fingerprints and stashed it in the waistband of my jeans. We took a seat side by side in the lounge and I tried not to look at David’s still lifeless body.
“I’m sorry about lying, Zack, but I was just doing my job. My feelings for you are real. Please don’t ever doubt that. I have never loved anyone like I love you.”
“I know you were doing your job. Did he hurt you?” he said flatly.
“No, he didn’t. I will be okay. I wanted to kill him too. You just did it first and the truth never leaves this room, ever.”
A stray tear slid down my face as I looked at him. He wouldn’t turn to look at me. He kept his distance, moving further away from me.
A huge gulf opened between us.
I wanted him to take me in his arms and tell me everything would be alright.
I really didn't think it would be though.
I went into the station for a debriefing and a heavy reprimand about going in on my own. I was interviewed about discharging my weapon and Zack was also interviewed. I had been there since 8am.
I would receive an official warning about it but other than that, everyone was pleased that the murders of Phoebe and Billy had been solved.
Apparently Razor Ross fought my corner and told the powers that be upstairs what I had been through. He also admitted that he should have authorised around the clock surveillance of David Simms.
Whether Phoebe’s body was ever discovered was another thing.
“Your dress came up as a match to David Simms. He was arrested for attempted rape while he was at university and the semen showed up as a match. We also recovered partial prints from the steering wheel and it was his hair you obtained from the car seats. With your taped confession, we have got things all wrapped up. Also a witness came forward to say that Phoebe and David had a huge row in the conference room on the day of her disappearance. He threatened to kill her then. Well done, Black, you really pulled the stops out on this one. Stuart Marshall sent a letter of congratulations to you.”
“Thanks, Sir. Well, I am glad it’s all over. Is it okay if I take some leave? I feel totally wiped out.”
“Yes, no problem. Take a couple of weeks off. Go somewhere nice and hot! Will you go with the dashing, Mr Cole?”
“Err, I’m not sure, Sir. I don’t know where I stand with him.”
“You really love him, don’t you?”
Razor Ross smiled warmly at me.
“Yes, I do, Sir.”
I sighed heavily.
“By the way, I have printed the application forms for your Sergeant’s exam. You can get them back to me when you return from leave and, Black, really well done again.”
He got up and gave me a bear hug.
What the hell!
“Thanks, Sir,” I babbled, completely embarrassed.
I gathered up the papers and bolted out of the room. I was reluctant to return to the house as I was unsure of the status of my relationship with Zack.
He had a lot to get his head around.
Could he trust me again?
One thing was for sure, I would certainly miss the Audi but not as much as I would miss Mr Zachary Cole and his family.