Page 98 of Devil's Thirst
“I think so. I’m just worried it’s not going to be enough. I can scream the truth at the top of my lungs, but if a jury doesn’t believe me, he could get away scot-free.”
“I’d say that’s highly unlikely. When the feds have a look at his computer—which they’ll do with your allegations that he claimed to have video evidence—the cache of child porn they find will keep him locked up for good.”
Her head whips around, large green eyes staring at me in shock. “Child porn? I thought you said you guys didn’t find anything substantial on his computer.”
“We didn’t.” I let the information sink in. “We may not have found evidence of rape on his part, but the man is a pedophile and a rapist. We know that for a fact. The evidence they find on that computer ensures justice will be done.”
“You’d already planned to set him up,” she says quietly.
“Yes and no. We made sure the evidence was present. We weren’t quite sure yet how to bring it to the attention of the feds. Your bravery took care of that for us.”
“He’s not going to get away?” The cautious optimism in her tiny voice makes me want to build her a castle where no one can ever harm her again.
“I swear on my mother’s grave, John Talbot will spend the rest of his life in prison.”
Joy and gratitude light her face. “Have I told you before that you say the sweetest things?”
“Yeah.” I wink at her. “I think you’ve mentioned that.”
Ten minutes later, we pull into a parking garage at yet another government building.
“City clerk’s office?” Amelie reads off the sign. “What are we doing here?”
“Getting our marriage license. Gotta have the license before we can do the deed.” I get out of the car and go around toopen her door when I notice she hasn’t joined me. “Something wrong?”
“Don’t people get those right before they get married?”
“Yeah, they expire after a while, so people usually get them like the week before the wedding.”
Amelie stares at me. I stare back, then squat so we’re at eye level.
“Baby, I stalked you, coerced my way into the apartment next door, then moved myself into your place—did you actually think I’d wait for a wedding when you agreed to marry me?” I know I should take this seriously, but I have to tease her a little.
Her glare tells me she’s not impressed.
“Sorry, I couldn’t help it. But honestly, I love you. You love me. We know we want to be together, and I want the world to know you’re mine. I went four years without you. Now that I have you, I don’t want to waste another minute.”
“Well, when you put it like that …” she says softly, her head angling to the side.
I help her out of the car and kiss her cheek. “And that’s why there will never be anyone as perfect for me as you are.”
“Now you’re just buttering me up.” She shoots a playful glare. “What else are you planning?”
“Nothing!” I raise my hands to proclaim my innocence. “No actualplans. I have ideas, that’s all.”
She shakes her head with a laugh. We walk hand in hand to the clerk’s office and leave an hour later with a license to get married tucked securely in my jacket pocket. Only one thing left to do today, and it may take a while, so it’s time to get my girl home. I have the perfect wedding gift in mind, and something as important as that can’t be rushed.
“Furry pink handcuffs. Are you serious?”I stare at Tommy as he secures John Talbot’s arms over his head, hooking the ornamental cuffs to a chain hanging from the rafters. He’s not suspended, just uncomfortable.
“You said to bring something that wouldn’t leave marks. If you wanted something else, you should have been more specific.”
I huff and swipe the black fabric sack off Talbot’s head. He looks absurd restrained in fur cuffs, and I decide it’s actually a nice touch. Anything to demean him works for me.
“Let’s get this show started.” I yank the duct tape off Talbot’s mouth.
He sneers and looks like he’s about to spew some garbage threats until he spots his cohort bound in a chair, bloody and covered in bruises.
“John, I believe you know Sean.” Identifying the thug that Talbot paid to do his dirty work was easy. Finally getting to punish him for threatening Amelie was the perfect appetizer before the main course. That way, I don’t get carried away with Talbot. I made a promise, after all.