Open Wounds (Harbour Bay #2)(69)


“I know. But this is something I’ve got to do.”

“If Coleani doesn’t have you killed, I will,” Donovan muttered as she sank back down in her chair.

“What’d you find?” Nick asked, obviously in an effort to diffuse the situation. From the feral look on his face, he wasn’t taking the news about Burton any better than Darryl was.

Kellie took a deep breath. A weaker woman would’ve buckled under the weight of disapproval and anger floating about the room. But Kellie had a backbone of steel.

“Several women known to Coleani shared a similar fate to me. All in all, eight cases match perfectly—except I was the lucky one. I survived. I spent the night before last compiling the case files, but I doubt they’re the only ones.”

“Another nail in Burton’s coffin,” Nick said. “But not Coleani’s.”

“No. Once again, Coleani will walk.”

Darryl heard the bitterness in her voice. He wanted to soothe her but didn’t know how. He knew she’d been trying to use the murders to convict Coleani. She was frustrated at having him once again slip through her fingers. He doubted she would ever be at peace while Coleani and Burton were free.

“Was any DNA recovered?” Darryl asked.

She nodded. “In a few of the cases, yes. In the others the bodies were too degraded to get any viable evidence. The detectives assigned to each of the cases ran the DNA against NCIDD, but no hits were found.”

NCIDD was the National Criminal Investigation DNA Database that was used in every LAC and forensic lab across the country.

Nick leaned against his desk. “Do we have enough evidence to compel Burton to provide a DNA sample?”

“Possibly. With my testimony and the similarities in the cases there should be enough probable cause. I can contact Aidan Carmichael with the DPP and have him start on a subpoena.”

The DPP was the Director of Public Prosecutions office. They would handle the case when it went to trial. Aidan was the main Prosecutor who had worked for the office for years and had a ninety percent win rate. He was passionate about the cases he worked, and where most people in the role burned out after a few years, Aidan seemed to thrive.

Burton was a small fish compared to Coleani. If only they could get him to roll on his boss. But the first thing Coleani taught his boys was loyalty to him. Burton would probably lay down his life rather than implicate the closest thing to a father he’d ever known.

“He’ll never talk,” Kellie said, as if reading his mind.

“We can always try,” Amelia said.

“Even the Donovan Style isn’t going to break Burton. And without a confession naming Coleani, the bastard will walk. He’ll find another ten Burtons, and the cycle will continue.”

Amelia crossed one leg over the other. “What do you want from us, Kel? We can’t pull evidence out of thin air. I’d love to take that man off the streets, but we’re bound by the law—something you reminded me of a week ago.”

“We’re not the enemy, Kellie,” Dean reprimanded sharply. “You’re losing sight, allowing your vision to be clouded. This isn’t a place for personal crusades. If you can’t leave it at the door, then you shouldn’t be here.”

The air surrounding them turned frosty. Dean wasn’t one to mince his words. Darryl stood, prepared to defend her. His co-worker may be right, but Darryl didn’t like him attacking his woman. He understood her anger. Burton had hurt her but he’d merely been the weapon Coleani used. Kellie stepped forward and placed her hand on his arm, stopping him.

“You’re right and I apologise. I was brought in to supervise Mia but no one is reining me in—until now.” She nodded at Dean, accepting his criticism and bridging the gap between them.

“We will get Coleani,” Dean said firmly. “Maybe not today or tomorrow, but we’ll get him. As for Burton, you did good work. There’s no way he’ll be able to escape the charges. I know what the bastard did to you. Believe me, we all want him punished.”

Darryl nodded in agreement and noticed Amelia and Nick doing the same; they all wanted a moment alone with Burton. Tears glittered in Kellie’s eyes at the sentiment.

Darryl wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her into his body. Dean sucked in a sharp breath, but he was done hiding. He loved this woman and didn’t care who knew. He would keep her safe, no matter what, which would be a full-time job in itself.

He kissed her forehead tenderly, soothing her. He let her know without words that he was in her corner. She melted against him, and he felt a surge of triumph. Maybe when this was all over he’d have a chance after all.

Donovan glowered at him. He stared back at her, unrepentant. She’d better get used to the idea of him and Kellie as a couple because he would fight like hell to keep her.

Dean said nothing. Of his team, he’d assumed Matthews would have something to say but instead the man glanced over at Nick. He narrowed his eyes when Dean retrieved his wallet from his back pant pocket and handed Nick a fifty.

Bastards. They’d bet on him.

There’d be a time in their lives when a woman would twist them up. He looked forward to seeing that.

Not for the first time, Darryl wondered what Kellie was feeling. Was she elated that the man who’d raped her would finally be going to prison where he belonged? Or was she hollow, unsure how to feel now that she was on her way to having closure?

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