One Way Or Another You Will Pay by Eve Rabi Read Free Book Online

hugs me back, then rubs my back like Bear usually does. “Better, Mum?”
    I nod and sob into his little chest.
    Somebody is massaging the back of my neck. I look around into Amy’s face. Tears spill down her red cheeks. I draw her to me and hug her too.
    “It’s okay,” Warren mutters, rubbing Amy’s back, then mine. “Dad’s going to fix it. He always does.” He looks at me. “This time it’s different, right, Mum? This time we have Dad with us?”
    I don’t answer, because …what do I say to him?
    “Right, Mum?” His voice is pleading.
    I look up into Bear’s face and we lock eyes. He drops his first, his shoulders hunching even more.
    “Yeah,” I eventually say to Warren. What else can I do but lie to my son?
    Then, three detectives race over, excitement all over their faces. They take Bear and I aside.
    “Through the use of Luminol, we’ve found blood in Savannah’s room. Savannah’s blood.”
    My hands fly to my mouth. “Oh, God! Oh, God!”
    “H…how much blood?” Bear asks.
    “Not sure as yet, but it’s smeared on the walls of her bedroom.”
    My legs threaten to give. “Oh, God!”
    “Hang on a second,” Bear says. “About a week ago, she and Warren bumped into each other and she bled at the mouth. Could that be …?”
    Detective Holmes turns to look at Bear. Doesn’t answer, just looks at him as if he’s studying him, observing him.
    “Tell us about last night,” Holmes says. “Why did you take a shower at 2 AM?”
    Bear shrugs. “Arena was home with the kids, I went fishing …got home around 2 AM, took a shower and went to bed.”
    “Who did you fish with?”
    “Alone. Ritchie canceled on me, so I went alone.”
    “Ritchie? Arena’s …?”
    “…younger brother.” As Bear utters these words, Ritchie rushes over to us and puts his arm around my shoulder.
    Bear jerks his chin toward Ritchie.
    Holmes looks at Ritchie.
    “Yep, that’s what happened,” Ritchie says. “I canceled because my wife couldn’t get home on time from her girls’ night out.”
    Holmes nods and writes furiously. “Anyone can verify your time of arrival and the shower story?”
    Bear shrugs. “Only Arena.”
    My head bobs.
    The detectives put their heads together and start muttering.
    “What?” Bear asks.
    “We’ve found blood on your fishing knife,” Holmes says. “We can confirm it’s Savannah’s blood.”
    “Oh my God!” I cry. Did whoever take her slit her throat? “Oh, God! Oh, God!” The room begins to spin.
    Bear tries to hold onto me, but he’s fast crumbling.
    “Oh, Jesus!” Bear cries, clutching at me. “No, no, no!” he mutters. “Savannah, baby…”
    Both of us are shaking.
    Savannah…
    They give us a few minutes to our grief before they return to us.
    “We need you to come down to the station for questioning,” Holmes says, putting away his notepad.
    Behind him, three cops adopt an arresting stance and look at Bear.
    “Sure,” Bear says. “Whatever you need. Just do it.”
    “Why do you need him to go to the station?” I ask through my tears.
    “It’s okay, Arena,” Bear says. “Let’s get this over and done with so we can move on.”
    In plain view of neighbours and news crews camped outside our house, Bear is escorted into the back of a police car.
    Both our SUVs and our boat have been ‘seized by the police for investigation.
    “Don’t worry,” Ritchie says, as he dials furiously, “I’ll get him a lawyer right away.”
    “Why?” Holmes asks. “Does he need one?”
    Ritchie doesn’t answer, he continues his call.

CHAPTER SIX
     
     
    Fatima taps me on the shoulder.
    I turn around.
    “Look!” She points to her laptop.
    To my surprise, I see Meredith Simon, the neighbour whose house I’m in, talking to a news crew. Being interviewed.
    “Yes, it’s true; they found blood on the husband’s knife and he’s been arrested,” she says. “No dingo around this time.” She chuckles. “Shows you don’t really know people. Evidently, we