Chapter Twenty Four

Beckett

 

I strolled casually out the bathroom, heading back the way I came. I watched from the corner of my eye as the man from the bathroom resumed his post on the steps, blocking anyone from going upstairs. As the other man was walking away he did a double take, reached over and pulled the black fabric from bathroom man’s back pocket. His eyes widened when he realized what it was, the unmistakable trademark of the Phantom, and as bathroom man looked puzzled the other man grabbed him and shouted for the men by the door.

A few curious onlookers turned their heads as two men led a confused bathroom man away, out of view through a side door, as one man headed up the stairs likely to report what had just happened to his boss. The distraction over, the party resumed and people fell back into inane conversation. The man went up the stairs and to the left. Perfect, now I knew exactly where to look for Marco. I picked up a glass of champagne and stood near the edge of the crowd, pretending to watch the band with interest, waiting for my moment. It didn’t take long, three men walked down the stairs taking them two at a time and went into the side door.

I placed my drink down on a table and looked both ways before rushing up the steps. I stopped at the edge, looking around the corner. There was one man standing outside on guard at a door where I bet my ass Marco was hiding. I smiled. One guard? Piece of fucking cake. Pulling my spare mask from inside my jacket I yanked it over my head, then paused. Taking a cufflink off, I thrust my arm around the wall and tossed it down the hall. I waited one second, two, three as the guard became distracted then walked over. When he bent down to pick it up I ran towards him before he could react, reaching him as his hand dipped into his jacket and connecting his face with my knee. I hit his head hard, then tossed him against the wall where he crumpled to the floor and lay still. Problem solved.

My body was humming as I grabbed the door handle, adrenaline pumping for what was about to happen next. I wouldn’t take my time this time, I would be quick and lethal. It would all be over soon. When the door swung open though, the scene before me was the last thing I expected to see. Ella was lying still on the floor, Marco straddling her with his hands around her neck. My blood, that had been burning only seconds before, turned to ice.

No, no, no.

“What have you done?” I growled, stepping in and closing the door behind me. Marco looked up and his eyes widened in surprise.

“You-they have you tied up downstairs,” he sputtered.

“Wrong fucking guy,” I seethed, stepping forward as he stumbled back. I reached down and felt Ella’s wrist. There was a pulse, thank God. It was weak, but she was still alive. I would get her help as soon as I was done. If I didn’t want to kill Marco Venetti before, I sure as shit wanted to now.

He crawled on his hands and feet backwards, pulling open a drawer in his desk and scrambling around. I jumped over the desk with ease, kicking the drawer closed on his hand and hearing the most satisfying crack as his wrist broke. Marco’s face drained of color and he screamed. I punched him across his jaw, his scream dissolved into a low howl.

“Not so loud,” I crooned. “I wouldn’t want anyone to hear you and disturb us.”

“You-you’re fucking dead,” Marco spat, pulling his injured hand against his body.

I ripped my bowtie from my neck, stretching it to reveal the thin black wire. Marco’s eyes bulged as he tried to drag himself backwards.

“I learnt my lesson last time Marco. No small talk this time, giving your goons time to come and look for you. You thought you were invincible. You killed without repercussions. That all ends tonight.”

I wrapped the wire around his neck and dragged him to his feet, pulling tight. I felt him gurgle and gasp, thrashing his arms and legs, but my biceps were strained tight holding the wire that would end his life. The wire that would finally give me back mine. A small voice made me turn my head.

“Wait-stop,” a low croak as Ella rubbed her throat, struggling to her feet. “You don’t have to do that.”

Fuck. I didn’t want to do this in front of her, but I was running out of time. It was now or never. I wouldn’t get another chance like this again.

“This needs to be done. He’s killed, he’ll kill again and again. He tried to kill you.”

She was in front of me now, her eyes darting from Marco to me, pleading.

“He won’t, he can pay for his crimes in jail.”

I laughed as Marco thrashed, shaking my head.

“This is the only justice men like Marco can ever face.”

I held the wire tighter as Ella dropped to the floor, scrambling, looking for something. She pulled out something from her clutch and held it up to me.

“No, it isn’t. Listen.”

She pressed a button, then held the device up to me. That’s when I noticed it was some sort of personal recording device. She pressed a button and I recognized her voice… and Marco’s. I loosened my grip slightly on the wire while I listened.

“Do you think I’m worried about that? I buy and sell police and judges in this city. I have ways to make people disappear that you couldn’t even fathom. And that’s what’s going to happen, you’re going to disappear Ella and no one is going to question it. They’ll never link your corpse to me, I’ve done it too many times. I’m too good.”

“Like Beckett Carter’s parents? You had them killed when they stood in the way of a development you had planned, didn’t you?”

“I’m impressed Ella. I don’t know how you figured that out when their son and I exchanged idle chatter earlier and he was none the wiser. You’re good at what you do. Unfortunately for you, you’re too good, and I can’t have that. So first I’m going to take care of you, then my men have the Phantom who was stupid enough to try to come here tonight tied up in my basement. Tonight I eliminate two of my problems, permanently.”

Ella stopped the device, looking at me through the mask.

“The police chief is downstairs. I have proof that no judge can deny. Let me bring him to justice, please. You’re better than this. His life is in your hands, prove that you’re better than he is.”

A war waged within me, my pulse racing. I looked from her face to Marco’s, back and forth. My body was wound tight, the urge to kill inside me insurmountable. Marco killed my parents. He deserved to die. Why should he get to live in a world where they were dead? What kind of justice was that. But when Ella placed her hand lightly on my arm, that’s when I knew. I couldn’t kill this piece of shit, even though I spent my entire life wanting to. She was right, this would never bring my parents back. Rotting away in a cell would be a greater punishment then I could ever deliver. Death was too easy for Marco Venetti.

There were voices outside the door, I dropped Marco to the floor and stepped away from him. He gasped and clutched his throat.

“The window,” Ella whispered. “Go, now.”

“But you-”

“I’ll be fine. Now go, quickly.”

I popped open the window and stood on the ledge while the door opened. Ella rushed past the men on the other side, down the hall and out of sight before they could react. They couldn’t touch her in the crowded ballroom. She would be safe. I dropped out silently onto the grass and rolled, sprinting around the corner while the guards shouted above me. While they scrambled I slipped off the mask and tucked it back in my jacket out of sight, then strolled onto the veranda as if nothing had happened. Beckett Carter, joining the group standing by the pool getting a bit of fresh air away from the party.

I watched through the windows as Ella rushed into the ballroom and found the Chief of police. She pulled him aside, shouting something. Even from this far away I could see the red and purple marks around her neck, blooming on her skin. She showed the Chief the recorder and I watched as they stood in silence while she played it. There was a grim look on his face as he looked from the injured woman to the device in her hands. He pulled out a radio and said something, then put an arm on her shoulder.

It didn’t take long for the sirens to wail in the distance, six police cruisers to drive up to the mansion. I was ushered out with all of the other guests, a police officer picking up the microphone and announcing the party was over. As I waited for the valet to bring my car, I glanced at Ella who was off to the side giving her statement to a police officer. She scanned the crowd, then her eyes finally fell on mine. I nodded, a moment of recognition what had happened and what it meant passing between us. I took back my keys and got behind the wheel of my car, Beckett Carter driving away from a gala that had come to an early end. Tonight the Phantom wasn’t the hero. Ella James was.