Page 51 of Any Kind of Life
“I’ve never let her down when she’s needed me. This…what’s happened…I’m not sure I can look her in the eye ever again.”
Paige wasn’t even going to acknowledge that. “Should I expect to see you at the hospital later at all?”
Henry remained silent.
“Henry?”
“I…shouldn’t. I’ve done enough damage already. But if down the line, Juliet wants to see me or speak to me about anything, she has my number.”
“H…”
“I’m the last person she’ll want to see when she wakes up. And honestly, now that the adrenaline has worn off, I’m sure you feel the same way.”
“No. We’re not doing that. The only person to blame for this is Cara. I know Juliet will want to see you. And I want to see you, too. I wouldn’t have made it through earlier without you there. Please, don’t put this on yourself.”
“I’m supposed to protect her, Paige. I’m supposed to have her back and keep her alive the way she kept my sister alive. I failed, and I’m so sorry.”
“You’re family to Juliet. And me. Everything is going to be okay, and we will put this to bed soon. The evidence is there, so I’m sure the police will deal with it swiftly.”
“I hope so. I know Juliet is safe while she’s in hospital, but I still have the added worry of you, Paige. And I swear I’ll protect you.”
Paige knew Henry would. “Look, I need to take a shower, but give me twenty minutes or so and then come up. We can have coffee together and try to process what we know.”
“Okay. I’m going to do some asking around. Find out who the fuck Cara is. But I’m not moving from here, so go and take that shower, and I’ll speak to you soon.”
Henry ended the call, and that was Paige’s cue to sort herself out. She needed food, but that could wait until she looked far more presentable. Instead, she would be alone with her thoughts under the steaming hot water, contemplating all the ways she would like to see Cara suffer.
Chapter 18
“You feeling any better after your shower?” Henry closed the apartment door and turned to Paige. “You certainly look better than the last time I saw you.”
Paige managed a smile, tiredness beginning to set in. “Turns out dried blood isn’t a good look on me.”
Henry didn’t respond to that. He was probably just as shaken as Paige was. Whenever she closed her eyes in the shower, all she could see was Juliet lying on the floor in The Hideout. If she wasn’t seeing that, Paige was remembering the moment Juliet was practically dying in her arms. This, whatever happened, was going to take a while to process, come to terms with, and then move on from. There was no doubt about that.
“I made you a coffee when I buzzed you up. Sugar?”
Henry shed his jacket and folded it over his arm. “I’d love some coffee. Just one sugar, please.” He took a seat, scrubbing a hand down his face as he did so. “Any news from the hospital?”
“No. Dr Nunez said someone would call me once Juliet was settled in ICU. I guess they have a lot to do before anyone can visit.” Paige eyed the clock in the kitchen. It had only been ninety minutes or so since she had got home. Even if it had felt like an eternity. “I have so much to do, and I don’t know where to begin, H.”
Henry looked over at Paige from the couch. “What do you need to do? Other than be with Juliet, what else?”
“Well, I need to go to the bar and clean up. The longer I leave…that stuff on the floor, the harder it will be to get the stain out. If I can even get the stain out.”
“That’s not something you need to worry about, Paige. I can take care of it.”
“I know, but it’ll give me something to do and hopefully take my mind off all the waiting. I don’t know how long Juliet will be asleep for.” Paige’s heart constricted. What if something went drastically wrong and Juliet didn’t wake up at all? “She will wake up, won’t she?”
“You and I both know that she’s going to wake up. She’s too stubborn to do anything else.” Henry winked, coaxing a laugh from Paige. “I’ve spoken to a few people. They all told me that Big Ron has been asking about Juliet. She was his lawyer a few years ago. Didn’t manage to get him off the charges. None of them specifically told me that he was responsible for encouraging Cara, but that has to be how this started. It’s too much of a coincidence. I’m guessing they’re probably related.”
“Right.” Paige nodded slowly as she crossed the room with two coffees. “You think it’s something to do with this Big Ron, then?”
“Oh, one hundred percent. I have no doubt that he placed Cara at your bar to do exactly what she did. He doesn’t care who he hurts or who gets caught in the crossfire. He’s always been a selfish, heartless prick.” Henry scoffed. “I’m hearing that his wife was terminal at the time he was on trial. He expected Juliet to get him off, she didn’t manage it, and so he blames her for him not being with his wife when she passed away.”
Paige sat down on the couch facing Henry. “While it’s really shit that he couldn’t be with her, that’s not Juliet’s fault. Maybe if he hadn’t found himself in court in the first place, none of this would have happened.”
Henry smiled at that. “Oh, if only it was that simple. The criminals in this world don’t see life the way you see it, Paige. Or how most of us see it. Ron will always be of the opinion that he deserves the very best in life, regardless of the crimes he’s committed. The only benefit in all of this is that he’ll never see the outside world again. He was sentenced to thirty years inside, and he’s already in his seventies.”