The Life - Rebirth (The Life 4)

Since she was the only one with any information, all the networks were now flocking to her for a morsel. She wasn’t giving them even a nibble, which sent them into a frenzy to find out on their own. At this point, they were overturning every rock in Luna and her husband’s lives. This was in the off chance that there was anything Track and his people had missed. Any other young girls like Natalia, who were the daughters of friends and too afraid to come forward.

I’m going after all their friends, acquaintances, anyone who even stopped to let them cross the street. Even with all the finger-pointing, with the solid evidence stacked against them, they were both behind bars before the end of the first day, but that hadn’t lasted with their top-notch lawyers, not that I wanted it to.

I only wanted the exposure to destroy their public image and destroy the fortune five hundred company the husband had owned, which was used as an umbrella to hide up his darker dealings.

Stocks fell, clients pulled out, and everyone who was anyone distanced themselves before the first hour was up.

Europe is a mess right now because of all the big names that had done business with them. Now those people, too, were under a microscope for more than just their business dealings. There were whispers and exposes; women and even men were ready to tell their stories now that the Goliaths of their lives were being taken down.

I had to do it like this in order to protect the innocents that had been trafficked. It’s only a matter of time before the public realizes that all they had were blacked-out names that led nowhere. But by the time the dust settles, those two would be gone. Uncle Guy had taken care of the disposal, and with things being the way they are, I doubt anyone would care.

He'd sent me a video earlier of Luna with the last hit she’d taken, needle still in her arm. I’d made sure to have him make up a cocktail that would burn her alive from the inside. It’ll show as a drug overdose, but once they open her up, they’ll have more questions than answers, seeing as her organs would have been petrified.

It was an agonizing death. Even Uncle Guy complained that he had to throw up after filming, but I couldn’t have her go out any other way. They’ll never figure out the concoction of formaldehyde and liquid death that had been used because I made it up myself unless they had the time to dissect whatever tissue is left after the concoction liquified her insides.

The husband’s demise was way tamer than hers, but only because of convenience. I’d been sent the video of his car as he took the dangerous bend on the road leading to their house on the beach. I wonder why it is that people never realize that they have no brakes until it’s too late? The explosion as he slammed into the cliff wall after spinning out was spectacular. I like to think it was his screams and not the wind off the ocean that I heard as the video played.

Now, there was only Ricci left. I looked at Gianna with a cross between pride and exasperation. Because of her, I’ve had to make a lot of fast movements in the last couple of days alone. She’s grown so much. It’s hard to find the girl I’d once sent away in the self-assured young woman before me. But she’s far surpassed anything I could’ve imagined.

I helped her finish up with the kids and get them dressed, and then it was time for them to climb all over me for half an hour before they went off to do something else with their time. “How’re you doing?” I ruffled her hair.

“I’m fine; I went to the house today.”

“Oh, did you?” I already knew that, but it was good that she was telling me on her own.

“Yes, Connie and Ron will be staying there for a few days. The kids and I missed them.”

“That’s great; I can’t wait to meet them. I owe them a great debt.” Her smile still warms my heart. Seeing her happy, how could I not know that that was enough?

“I have something for you.”

“Gimme!” She held out her right hand, and I kissed her palm while slipping the ring from my pocket.

“Give me your other hand.” She held out her hand, which was already shaking as if she knew without being told. And when I slid her mother’s ring on her finger, she made a sound that she caught behind her right hand as she stared down at her left. “It’s my mother’s, I remember. How did you get it?”

“Your dad had it in a safety deposit box along with some more of her jewelry. We can go get the rest when you’re ready. Come ‘ere, don’t cry.” I held her while she sobbed tears of joy mixed with sadness. I guess all her life experiences are going to be like this, that she’d always miss the mother she loves so dearly. My only hope is that the joy outweighs the sadness with time.