Taste of Poison

Chapter Twenty-Two: Sealed Fate

JOSIAH

Someone pulled the plug on Zamiel's machine. Dad won't let me get involved. He won't even let me look at the fucking cameras or anything.

"GODDAMMIT!" I yell as I hit my truck window on the passenger side.

I hear feminine dark laughter from behind me. My eyes widen as I look over my shoulder and see Pia standing there in a dark green dress that hangs around her ankles. Her hair is curled and she makeup on. She looks good... She looks beautiful.

"Why are you laughing?" I ask her bitterly as I ignore the pain in my knuckles.

"I never thought I'd see you punch something. You're usually a good boy that doesn't do anything wrong," she says in a sultry voice.

My eyes narrow as I turn around to face her. "What are you doing here, Pia? How did you get here?"

She looks tired, and I can see part of her bandages from her surgery peeking out from the top of her dress. I don't her going to school today was a smart move. She looks beautiful, yes, but she also looks bad too.

"I heard..." she trails off as I see pain flash in her eyes. Tears rolls down her cheeks. "I heard about Zamiel... I figured you were at the hospital... I was right."

I sigh. "I can't do anything, Pia. I have no access to this case. My dad won't let me. Whatever happened, though, someone pulled the plug on him."

Her eyes narrow. "He was murdered," she states coldly.

"It wasn't Garret because he got out of town."

Her eyes widen. "Garret got away with it? Why didn't nobody come to me and ask what the fuck really happened?"

"Scout admitted to everything. She took the blame for his shit too," I inform her. "You were in surgery. You couldn't say anything. They figured they had everything they needed when she admitted to it. My dad knew it didn't make sense, but that's what I don't like about him. He won't bother to try and solve shit. If he can find the easy way out, he will."

Pia looks like she can't stand anymore. I rush to her and wrap my arms around her slender body. She begins to shake as cries into my chest. She screams into my soaked shirt as I hold her tightly.

"Why would he let Garret walk free?" she growls. "He's part of it just as much as Scout is!"

"I..." I trail off. "I don't know." She stuns me with her next words.

"I'll get him."

I look down at the top of her head. "What?"

She looks up at me with scary determination. Her hazel eyes are wild and crazed; a beautiful monster is being created right here right now in my arms.

"I'm going to get him if it's the last and only thing that I do," she growls. Her hand slides behind my head and she pull me closer to her face with one jerking movement. "You're going to help me find out who killed Zamiel."

My eyes narrow. "The hell I will," I snap as I break away from her grip easily. I stop though when I see the look in her eyes and the tears rolling down her cheeks. I freeze when I see her desperation.

I understand though. I couldn't imagine being in her position right now. She pregnant, and the father is dead. She is going to be a single mother, and she's going to have a hard time. That kid is going to have it rough.

I can't just walk away.

I could, but I can't make myself do it.

She wipes her tears away with the sleeve of her dress, and then she reaches up and presses her cold lips against mine.