Blood in the Water(69)
“Yeah, I nearly bled out.”
“Why didn’t you?” Byron noted there were new marks over the old scars. Juliet had been slicing on herself. “How’d you escape?”
“My brothers taught me how to fight. I jammed my knee into his balls and poked the bastard in the eye. Then I took off for my car, running and screaming.”
“I hope you nailed the prick.” Byron squeezed her hand.
She met his eyes, the ghost of a smile curved her lips. “You bet your ass I did. I made him scream.”
“And he didn’t fight back?” Jane asked.
“No. When I struggled with him, he seemed stunned, shocked. I’m bettin’ I was the first person he ever tried to—”
“Kill?”
“Yeah, and now he’s got the hang of it. Oscar doesn’t leave ’em alive anymore.” She gave a croaking laugh. “Here I am, givin’ you hell for doin’ your job, when it’s my fault in the first place. I shoulda gone to the police.”
“I’m just glad you got out of the situation alive.” Jane patted her hand.
“Ain’t your fault and it sure as hell ain’t Jane’s, but I’m curious. Why didn’t you tell the bikers? I’m sure the MC would’ve taught him a lesson.” Byron thought they’d have handled this situation right quick. If someone attacked one of their women, the Dixie Mafia would’ve put a stop to it.
“Romeo’s in the club, and the rest of them treat me like a little sister. What do you think would’ve happened to Oscar?”
“They would’ve beaten him to death?” Jane offered. And she sounded a little bloodthirsty, as though she’d like to get a punch or two in.
Byron beamed. “Sounds about right—then put his ass in the ground.” And then it occurred to him why she hadn’t. “You were afraid of what the Valentines would do to the brothers.”
“If the club had killed Oscar, the Valentines would’ve used all their money and connections to punish those responsible. They would’ve ended up on death row—like Jessup.”
“So Romeo doesn’t know the full story?”
“No, although Romeo knows I dated him and it ended abruptly—and I was different afterward. Romeo tried to get me to talk about it, but I refused. After a few months, he stopped. When Valentine was arrested for murder, I think Romeo figured out what might’ve gone down that night, but by then, the feds had Oscar. He hasn’t brought it up with me again though.”
“Tell us the rest of the story. What else happened that night?” Jane prompted.
“Instead of goin’ home, I went to my best friend’s place instead. Amy’s oldest brother was an EMT, and he patched me up, gave me antibiotics. I wore long-sleeved shirts until my wrists healed and didn’t breathe a word of it.”
“What about Valentine? He left you alone?” Byron asked.
“Yeah, at first he tried to laugh it off, said it was another game, but I told him to stay the fuck away from me. And once he believed I wasn’t gonna rat on him, he left me be.”
“Weren’t you afraid he’d try again?” Jane asked.
“I kept a knife on me at all times and made sure he saw it. I even slept with the damn thing. Still carry one to this day.” She touched the front pocket of her jeans. “A couple of months later, he killed Betsy. She might still be alive if I’d handled it differently. I should’ve warned her and I think about that every fuckin’ day—but there’s nothin’ I can do about it now.”
“Yes, you can, Juliet. Your case establishes a pattern of behavior. Tell the court what you know and the grand jury will re-open the cases against him.”
“Aren’t you supposed to be his lawyer?”
Byron muttered a curse.
Jane glanced away. “I’m simply advising you of your rights. There’s no statute of limitation on murder.”
“Why even bother with a trial? Why go through the motions?” She turned to Byron. “You could take care of him. I’ve heard my brothers talk. They said you’re good, the best, actually. You could take him out and not leave any evidence behind—it’d solve all our problems.”
This girl had been brutalized by Valentine, and he deserved to pay for harming her. Not to mention the man’s obsession with Jane, but he’d made her a promise, and he’d be damned if he backed out on it.
“I can’t, Juliet. I—”
“Please?” She grabbed his sleeve. “He’s a monster.” She slanted a glance at Jane. “And he’ll murder her too. I can see the way you look at the lawyer. You care about her. Pay him back for Betsy, for me, for all those other women, and protect the Jane in the process.”