Page 64 of Alibi for Murder
“Rivero told him I’m today’s target.” Allie winced. “Like in a video game.”
Steve looked to Tommy. “Then I guess we should get going.”
“I explained,” Allie said, to maintain some sense of continuity, “that it might be difficult to get in to see her before daylight.”
“I can arrange an afterhours visit.” Steve smiled at Tommy. “I’ll make a call en route.”
Tommy looked to her. “I am trusting you, Allie. We are friends.”
She nodded. “We are.”
They walked out of the house. Allie inhaled her first deep breath since Rivero turned on her and started spilling all the ugly details of his heinous betrayal of so many people.
On some level, she felt vindicated that she now knew her parents had been murdered by someone associated with Ledwell. And yet, her heart wanted to break with a new kind of grief.
Her parents had been murdered—stolen from her when she needed them most.
“You’ve ruined everything!”
Allie froze.
Rivero.
The gun he held was aimed at Allie. But he’d left. Had he been watching?
Steve stepped in front of her and warned, “Every law enforcement agent in the county is looking for you, Rivero.”
Rivero shook his head. “Doesn’t matter now. I had barely driven away when the call came. Ledwell has thrown me under the bus. Used me to do their bidding, and now they’re refusing to protect me.” He looked beyond Steve’s shoulder, straight at Allie. “All because of you.” His gaze slid back to Steve. “And the Colby Agency.”
Despite the fear shrouding her, Allie understood one thing with complete certainty. Tommy was listening to this exchange, and he would analyze the words and come to conclusions. Whatever else happened, she needed to try and make sure he came to the right ones.
“If you hadn’t set up the murder of my parents,” she railed at Rivero, “and all those other people, you wouldn’t be in this situation. You are the one who told them who to go after time and time again.”
“I did what they paid me to do,” he growled, aiming at her head now. “Those people loved making all the money Ledwell paid them but didn’t have the courage to recognize the significance of what the company was doing.”
“Is that why you killed Thomas Madison and tried to pin it on me? To take out two problems with one swipe.”
“That wasn’t my call,” he argued, “but it was the right one.”
“But the person who ordered his termination only did so because you told them his health condition was a security risk,” Allie argued, guessing basically.
“He had been a security risk for a long time, and the powers that be just didn’t want to see it. I made sure they had to see what was right in front of them. He should have been eliminated when his wife died. He was basically worthless after that.” He waved the gun at them. “Now, go back inside. We’re not doing this out here.”
Allie and Steve started walking in reverse, toward the house. Neither wanted to turn their back on this wacko.
Tommy followed their example.
Once they were inside, Rivero ordered, “On the floor, face down. All of you.”
Steve shook his head. “You’re wasting time. If you want any reasonable possibility of getting away before you’re caught, you should have been gone long before now.”
“On the floor,” Rivero shouted.
“It is true?” Tommy stepped forward. “Did you see that my father was terminated?”
“On the floor, Tommy,” Rivero said. “I’m in charge now. You must do as I say.”
“Answer the question.” Tommy took another step toward Rivero.
