Chapter 72: Bonus Chapter 2: Jack

Mason

I watched Jack through the dirty window of his run-down motel room. He was moving back and forth from the dresser to the bed, shoving things into his bag.

He was leaving... at least I wouldn’t have to pack his things before I dragged him out of there. It looked like he was in a hurry, but who was he running from? Those drug dealers that Patrick mentioned, perhaps.

“This is where I leave you, Mr. Knight,” Patrick said. “You hired me to find him and I found him. What happens next has nothing to do with me.”

I nodded in reply. “Thanks for your help.”

***

My bodyguard Ezra handcuffed Jack to a metal pole in an abandoned warehouse. It was dirty and dark, the exact setting you would expect for what was about to happen.

I thought about how I was going to hurt him. I had never taken something to this level before, nor planned on taking a life. I had been in fights, arguments that got out of control. I had acted in ways that I wasn’t proud of. But there I stood, prepared to take his life… for her.

“Remove the bag,” I said, my words echoing around the room. Ezra removed the bag from Jack's head and Jack looked around, squinting at first.

“You,” he whispered, shocked.

“I’m not the only one that's been trying to track you down, I take it.”

“Believe it or not, you were the least of my worries,” Jack replied. “I didn't think that you would come after me, but clearly I underestimated what Mason Knight is capable of.”

A smirk tugged on my lips. “You haven't seen anything yet.” I looked in Ezra's direction. “You can wait outside, Ezra. I’ll handle this from here.”

Ezra nodded his head and left the warehouse.

“Your security?” Jack asked.

“I needed to hire him after the shit you pulled.”

Security. Yes, I have two. After what happened to Jamie, it was the right thing to do. My daughter’s safety was the most important thing.

“Little Penelope...” Jack started, and it made my blood boil.

“Don’t you dare fucking say her name,” I snapped. I didn't want her name coming out of his mouth. I hated that he was in her life, that he had even been in the same room as her.

“She must be what... almost four now?” Jack asked. I didn't respond. “Kids, they grow up so fast. It must be hard on her growing up without her mother. Does she remember Jamie?”

I could feel my jaw clenching in anger. I wanted to hurt him now and be done with it. At least I'd know that he was gone and he couldn’t harm my child. Or perhaps go to the hospital and pull the plug on Jamie. I don't know how his sick mind works.

“What do you care? You're the one that did this to her.”

“Believe it or not, I do care. I didn’t wake up that morning with the intention of killing her.”

“Bullshit you fucking didn't!” I shouted. I turned around and picked up a wrench from the top of an oil tank. “You tried to kill me, and when you failed, you took her out instead. Jamie's been in a coma for two years.”

I could see the terror in Jack’s eyes. “I’m sorry! If I could take it back I would. You don't know how many times I’ve wished I had done things differently. Please, don’t do this.” He pleaded.

“It’s too late,” I replied, walking closer to him. “You took her from me. You hurt her... It’s about time I got some payback.”

I reeled my arms back and swung the wrench at him, aiming for his right knee. He screamed in pain as the wrench connected with his bone. We both knew that this was the least of what was coming to him.

“I think you broke my fucking knee,” he hissed in pain, and his screams echoed around the warehouse. Although his hands were tied, he was trying to lift up his leg to avoid putting pressure on it.

“It’s nothing compared to what you did to her,” I replied. “I need to know why you did this. Were you obsessed with her?”

“No.”

“The tape, you got a kick out of that obviously. This was about me, because in the end I won her and you didn’t. She made you look good, to your family and your friends.”

“It was none of that. You're so fucking blind to this situation, you don't even realize what’s going on around you,” Jack’s voice trembled in pain. “You need to untie me, man. I can’t stand on one leg for much longer.”

“You know that’s not happening.”

I pulled my gun from the black leather bag that was sitting on the floor.

I turned around and looked at the man who had taken everything from me. Jack destroyed my family, he took her away from me... away from us. He deserved to die, by my hands and no one else's.

I needed to do this for Jamie, for Penelope—for both of them.

Seeing the gun, Jack began to panic. “Please, Mason. Don't do this.”

I walked towards him and saw the fear in his eyes, and he looked at me and saw the anger in mine. I pointed the gun in his face. Was I capable of this?

“No. Please,” he begged.

Once I pulled the trigger, it would be done. I couldn’t take it back. I would become something I would have to live with… forever.

“Someone paid me to do it,” Jack shouted.

“What do you mean?” He had my attention, but I kept the gun pointing at him.

“Like I said before, this is bigger than me. I was paid to kill you. It was never supposed to be her. Dating Jamie and that whole thing with the tape, I was paid off,” Jack winced as he put pressure on his foot.

“Who... Who paid you?” I asked, my brows furrowed in confusion. I didn't know whether to believe what he was saying.

“Untie me and I’ll tell you.”

I shook my head. “Do you really think that I’m going to fall for that?”

Jack sighed. “Come on, Mason. I'm not running anywhere on this leg, and you know it. Untie me and I’ll tell you the truth.”

FUCK!!

I lowered my arm and put the safety back on the gun. I tucked the weapon into the back of my trousers and walked towards him. I didn’t know if I should believe him, but I had to hear him out.

I undid the handcuffs and stepped backwards, creating some distance between Jack and me. I still had my suspicion that he would try to pull something, but I was the one with the gun. Jack leaned his back against the metal pole and hissed in pain again.

He was either preparing to tell me the truth or think of a good lie. I didn’t know what to believe anymore.

“It’s...”

The sound of a gunshot echoed through the warehouse. Startled, I threw myself to the ground. When I looked up again, I saw him.

Jack was lying on the floor with blood soaking through his gray hoodie.

Ezra dashed inside, grabbing me and escorting me out of the warehouse and into the car. I hopped into the back seat, feeling adrenaline thump in my veins as we peeled away from the warehouse.

“I saw someone going around the side of the warehouse. I followed them, but they must’ve gotten back around somehow, I didn’t see a face.” Ezra said. “Are you okay, Mr. Knight? Are you hurt?”

“I’m fine.” I replied. I reached into my suit pocket to grab my phone when I realized that it wasn’t there. I searched the seats around me. Fuck!

“My phone is gone. I must’ve dropped it in the warehouse. We have to go back.”

“You can’t go back there, Mr. Knight. It’s not safe.”

“If my phone is found there I’m fucked. I need you to go back for it. Come back and get me at the hotel when you’re done.” I ordered.

“Of course. And the body, Sir?”

“We can’t leave it there. Even though I’m not the one that shot him, I can still be traced to being at the motel if there are cameras there. Get rid of it. Call my room when it’s done so we can get the fuck out of here.”

Ezra dropped me off at the hotel and I went straight to my room. I removed my gun from my trousers and set it on the side table before walking into the bathroom.

I splashed water on my face and looked at myself in the mirror. I came here for revenge. I was ready to kill him... And someone took that from me.

I spent the next couple of hours in silence, pacing my room and drinking the bottle of scotch. Pouring glass after glass.

I sat on the bed, feeling helpless. I didn’t have my phone to call Penelope. We had been in Toronto since yesterday evening, and I had promised her that I would be back by now. One night, I had told her.

I had a habit of lying.

I picked up my bag and walked towards the door. I didn’t have a plan of where I was going, I just needed to get out of this room. A knock came to the door before I got to it. Ezra.

I opened the door and he walked in.

“So, what happened, did you find it?”

“No sir. I searched everywhere, the phone is gone.”

“Fuck!” I shouted. Where could it be? “Alright, Let’s check the motel. It might be there.”

Ezra nodded. “There’s something else, sir. The body.”

“What about it?” I asked.

“When I arrived at the warehouse, it was already gone.”