"Not the whole time," Fiona explained. "I stumbled upon it completely by accident when we went after Antonio Santana. Antonio and several police officers including Frank are on the payroll of that sex trade organization you've been tracking. You were getting too close to bringing their empire down like a house of cards. Antonio, who was Travis Dunham's right hand man, tasked Frank with the duty of keeping tabs on you and, if need be, eliminate you. He came for you that night but instead was met by Phoebe, who then told him about the pregnancy. After the murder, Frank told Antonio everything. They planned to pin your murder on Markus anyway, so pinning Phoebe's death on him made no difference. It gave them a clean getaway. That is, until you got me involved."
Drayce's anger mounted. "You knew this and didn't tell me? Why didn't you fucking tell me Fiona?!"
"Would you have believed me if I tried?!" Fiona shouted back. "You needed to see this for yourself, to follow through with it to the very end."
Drayce felt a level of betrayal he never knew was possible. The void in his heart quickly filled with infinite vengeful rage.
"Why Phoebe?" Drayce pleaded. "Why would you do this to me? To us?"
"I never meant to hurt you Drayce. I loved you! But you were always on the job and I was very lonely at times. I would try to reach out to you, but your work always seemed more important than me. You rarely paid attention to me anymore. In the midst of my depression, I was seduced by Frank's charms. He made me feel desired and wanted, taking me out to lunch several times while you were at work. He later kissed me. It felt so wrong -- but I was too starved for attention that it didn't seem to matter. I couldn't resist making love to him time and time again. I tried to stop, but I was too weak."
Drayce brushed away his tears. "Nothing was more important than you. I would have given up my career to make you happy. I've been through hell, risking certain death, just to be able to talk to you like this. I've been lost without you and now I find out that my whole life has been nothing but a lie!"
"Drayce! Wait! I-"
Phoebe was out of time. The particles that made up Phoebe's spirit once again separated in a bright flash. The tiny orbs scattered throughout the cemetery then fizzled into nothingness.
Drayce turned his back. "Good-bye Phoebe. May you rest in peace."
"Where are you going?" Fiona asked as Drayce stormed past her.
Drayce gave no reply. He rushed to his car, driven by hatred so intense it had consumed him. Intending to finish what he began, he sped off, leaving Fiona behind.
*****
Drayce parked his car a few blocks from Frank's suburban home. He reached into his glovebox and retrieved his service revolver. After making sure it was fully loaded, he walked through the neighborhood to Frank's house.
Peering through the front living room window, he saw Frank sitting on his couch, cheering at the basketball game on his TV. Frank seemed alone. Perfect.
Drayce walked up Frank's porch and knocked on the front door with the pistol concealed in his pocket. He knocked several times, and again, before Frank finally opened the door.
"Drayce? Jesus man, you're soaked! What are you doing here?"
Seeing the man who ruined his life face-to-face instantly transformed Drayce's usual cool-headed demeanor into that of a crazed madman. He pulled out his revolver, pointing it at Frank's forehead.
"Back inside. Now!" Drayce commanded.
"What the fuck are you doing?!" Frank shouted, retreating backwards into his house.
Drayce shut the door behind him. "Did you really think I wouldn't figure it all out?"
Frank looked at Drayce, confused, "What the hell are you talking about? You've completely lost it, Drayce!"
Drayce's free hand struck Frank's nose with full force, making a loud crunch of knuckles hitting cartilage. "No more lies!" he said, striking him again, sending Frank to the floor.
With his revolver pointed down at Frank, he spoke with steely fury. "I know everything, you piece of shit! About your involvement in the sex trade, you fucking my wife in my own bed, and you raping and murdering her!"
Frank looked at Drayce with utter shock. "I'm impressed." He wiped blood from his face. "How'd you figure it all out?"
Drayce sent a hearty kick straight to Frank's ribs. "How, is of no consequence."
Frank groaned. "I suppose not. Much like it is of no consequence keeping secrets anymore. I should have killed you when I had the chance, but no, Phoebe had to botch everything by getting knocked up. For a while, killing her turned out to be just as good. You were too busy moping to continue your investigations. But it seems you can't just let sleeping dogs lie."
Frank smiled sardonically. "I will admit -- she was a fine piece of ass. She would cum time and time again as if she hadn't gotten off a day in her life. For all I know, maybe she hadn't. She was way out of your league. It took a real man to please her."
Drayce kicked Frank again. He pressed his foot down on the side of Frank's head with all his might. "Real men don't rape or murder women."
Frank cackled amid his pain. "So what do you plan to do, huh? Arrest me? Good luck trying to explain this broken nose in court."
Drayce pulled the hammer back on his revolver and put the barrel directly against Frank's temple. "Now isn't the time to be smug, you arrogant prick!"
Frank laughed, "Go ahead, do it. I doubt you have the balls, though. And even if you do, either our fellow policemen or my organization will find you."
Drayce pressed the barrel hard against Frank's skull. His hand shook from the anger and adrenaline coursing through his veins. In the beginning, he was content with justice; but now, only vengeance would suffice.
His tightening finger on the trigger stopped when he heard a woman's voice.
"Think about what you're doing, Drayce," Fiona said as she stepped through the front door.
"You stay out of this, Fiona!" Drayce shouted.
Frank's eyes peered up at Fiona. "Who the fuck are you?"
His face flashed ghost-white when he saw Fiona's eyes glow bright red. His hand scooted across the floor against his will and stopped in front of his face. Slowly his index finger extended then instantly bent backwards on its own with a chilling sound of snapping bone. Frank screamed with agonizing pain.
"That's who the fuck I am," Fiona replied coldly.
"I told you to stay out of this!" Drayce said over his shoulders.
Fiona shrugged. "By all means; kill him if you want to. Just do so knowing that you're committing wrath, the worst sin of all. Your soul will become corrupt and we both know what that means."
Drayce grew tired of Fiona's games. He stood above Frank, his gun pointed at the dirty cop's head. He knew his future was forfeit if he killed him. If Fiona did not take his life and soul, the CPD would surely catch him, or the fuckers behind the sex trade. He had nothing left to live for. No family. A job he used to believe in that now was full of corruption. Phoebe was his life, and it had been fraudulent. All Drayce had was this moment.
☆