‘It was too late,’ Riddick said.
Gardner was gripping one hand with the other. She could see the white of her knuckles.
‘A car bomb,’ Riddick said.
Jesus. She felt a tear running down her cheek.
‘They didn’t suffer… At least, they told me they hadn’t.’
You poor, poor man. She opened her mouth, but quickly closed it again. He’d already made it clear that he’d no time for anyone saying that they were sorry.
Riddick rose to his feet and stepped forward. He gazed out over the fledgling trees.
Gardner took a few deep breaths, adjusting to the gravity of Riddick’s tragedy.
She watched a squirrel scurry over the vine-covered stone walls.
After a minute of silence, Riddick turned. ‘We should get going.’
Gardner could barely move. ‘Ronnie Haller? What happened to him?’
‘He’s inside. He won’t ever get out.’
Gardner almost said good but thought better of it. There was nothing positive in this situation. Absolutely nothing.
‘Who planted the bomb?’ Gardner asked.
‘Two youngsters. Manipulated by Ronnie. They were easy enough for us to find.’
Yes, Gardner thought, as if anybody was walking away from a crime that vicious.
‘Ronnie threw them to the wolves,’ Riddick said. He turned around. ‘Dan and Bradley were old enough to know better too, but they were also young and thrown to the wolves. No one was there to show them the right way.’
Yes, she thought, nodding, you do get it, don’t you? All that hot air when I first met you was bravado. ‘I agree.’
‘Ronnie and Neil,’ Riddick continued. ‘Evil, manipulative bastards. These are the real monsters.’
Exactly. You’re one of the good guys, Paul. You can find yourself again. I’ll help you.
Riddick stood up. ‘I want to stop them. I want to stop them all.’
‘Me too,’ Gardner said, feeling a warmth for Riddick swelling inside her. ‘Me too.’