FIFTY-ONE

Ruby's eyes fluttered open and she tried to get up but was tied to a bed.

She struggled for several seconds to no avail, then heard footsteps but knew it was too late to pretend to be still asleep.

The person walked into the light and Ruby realized, it was the Chief of Police.

She frowned as he slowly walked around her, lining her cheek with his fingertips.

She asked what he was doing then he said,"Getting back at your father for harming you."

"By kidnapping me?! You're insane!"

"Which do you think is worse? A father who abandoned his daughter in a literal dump and cleared all records of her so no one would remember her, then let her live on the streets for years, before he was literally forced to take care of you, which he tried every possible means to do, including getting you arrested so his prize rose will inherit the entire family property and after your own sister almost killed you uncountable times, she suddenly turns nice? And your father also begins to treasure you? Give me a break!"

"Ro...Rose had a part to play in this?"She asked.

"My men had to rescue you from hers before they drove you off a bridge, go home if you want..."He said, untying her,"...but if you want all those people who ever hurt you, even the one who killed your grandfather, to be brought to justice, stick around, I'll be glad to help you."

She was silent for a second, then frowned and asked,"Why did you shoot him?"

"What?"

"Why did you shoot my father, why did you extort money from my parents? All of this for revenge? For me?!"

"Ruby..."He said with a sincere expression,"...I didn't shoot your father and have plenty of money on my own, why would I need to extort any from him? I believe it was all a set up."

Ruby's world began to crumble as he said,"Take a second to think about it, the door is wide open in case you wish to leave."

He then left Ruby crouching to herself, and crying...

***

"When do we begin?"Luis asked.

Johan grinned.

Later on...

"I have some undesirable acquaintances in town square, I want you to find them and make them stop threatening me."

Luis looked out the window to the hustling and bustling area, this oughta be easy.

He got out of the car and walked into the crowd then took out the phone he had stolen from Johan from his pocket.

He went through the old calls and messages after tapping into it and then saw some promising conversations, people who threatened him about telling the truth of his actions, people who used to work for him.

Luis banged the phone on the table and yelled,"You didn't mention the fact that I would have to murder entire families in order to keep your many secrets safe."

Johan finished stirring his tea then said,"Neither did you say you would steal and tap into my phone and yet here we are."

Luis smashed the phone on the floor then said,"If I'm doing this, I'm doing it my way."

Then he left.

Johan took a sip of his beverage while watching Luis leave then grinned, this would be interesting...

Luis passed by a neighborhood then sat down on a bench, taking notes with a newspaper as cover.

After he was cumbersome enough of the target's home, he set into action.

He stretched his gun wielding arm, then took the shot and there was a loud whimper...

A woman came out to answer the doorbell then screamed when she saw their neighbor's dead dog hanging by the neck from their porch ceiling.

She wanted to call the police but her husband came and held her mouth for her to keep silent, someone was in the house.

Holding their baby and spinning a knife on his finger, a stranger with a white mask and black hood on walked down the stairs and coaxed the baby to sleep.

Luis then said,"I am aware you have some important information regarding some important people, don't you, Mr Deubt?"

His wife had tears as he sealed her mouth shut.

The knife took an awkward path and passed an inch above the baby's delicate forehead as Luis said,"I just came here to ensure your silence, you're a smart man aren't you? You detected a new way of smuggling cocaine that was immune to all airport scanners at the time, methods which are still used today, you also synthesized your own method of processing the stimulant which worked much more cheaply and effectively than traditional methods..."

His wife stared at him in shock as Luis continued,"... I've gotta hand it to you, you actually grew a heart deciding to finally follow your religion after three years, eight months and seventeen days if I'm sure, of being the hypocrite that you used to be and I know you've turned over a new leaf, I mean, I might come to you for advice myself some day, just, keep this between us and oh, don't spread the word, I don't want your only memory of your thirteen month old son to be literally engraved on your wife's forehead, you have a lovely home though."

He placed the baby in the man's wife's arms, then walked out the open door and said,"And call the cops, your house was surprisingly easy to break into."

With that, he was gone.

The man tried to coax his wife but she slapped him across the face.

She couldn't believe he had lied to her all this time, she thought as a journalist, he had investigated into Johan and found dirt on him, not knowing he actually worked for him and now he was dragging her and her baby into this, she wasn't going to allow it, she left him, then and there, despite his trying to apologize to her.

Luis checked the camera feed from the second house, they were home, time to get back to business...

***

Tracking her phone to their old mansion, I saw everything had been perfectly planned out, but it wasn't Rose's doing, it couldn't be her, she'd changed...right?

Mack had arrived and ran into the scene, the remaining staff were interrogated and all knew nothing, it ' happened so fast ' .

Mack attacked one of the maids for her inability to answer the needed questions and I told him to calm down, but he brushed me off and left.

I apologized to the traumatized maid, then went to look for him.

I found him in the master bedroom and was confused till I saw her father, sitting still on the balcony.

I had no idea he was here and Mack probably didn't know either.

I was about to speak when he spoke first,"My daughters were everything to me, Ruby and Rose, were irreplaceable...do you know what it feels like to lose someone that important to you?"

I had to say yes, Mack on the other hand said,"You have a very smooth way of covering up for the terrible things you did to Ruby, don't you? Your irreplaceable daughter was gotten rid of and her place taken by her sister, then you actually had the audacity to make her love you again, I warned her about you, but she never listened, she loved someone who had hurt her so much, then you got rid of her again!"

He tried to attack him but I held him back, then he punched me in the belly and threw me over his back and lunged at their father.

He lifted him above the railing of the balcony, with the grassy ground several feet below him.

Their father closed his eyes and said,"Yes, end my misery."

Mack twitched as I told him to let go, then he dropped Mr Welshes back on terra firma and said,"If I find out you had anything to do with this, I will make sure to finish what I started."

He then walked off.

Mr Welshes brushed his clothes then walked towards me and said pleadingly,"Please, find my daughters and bring them back to me."

"I promise sir, I will bring them safely back to you, cause I wouldn't have anything to live for either otherwise."

He then hugged me and I returned the favour, then left and he took his phone as the Chief of Police spoke to him.

"Sir, she believed everything."

"Make sure no harm befalls her, otherwise I will end you myself."

The Chief of Police nodded as he hung up the call...