The asshole, Hayley realized, was threatening to hurt Joey, just as Salma had feared.
Salma stiffened. “I would like you to leave.”
His nostrils flared. “It makes me sick to know you have given birth to this man’s baby. I do not know why Mother will allow you into her home, but it is because of her that I cannot leave without you.”
Hayley wanted to drag his ass right out the front door, but she decided to wait and see how this played out and hopefully discover what Salma really wanted. Ultimately, it was her decision to make as to whether she returned home. No matter what happened, Kitally was going to get an earful from both Lizzy and Hayley.
“Is this why you left?” Joey asked Salma. “Because you were afraid for my life? Or because you no longer loved me?”
Her eyes glistened. “I love you, Joey. But this,” she said, gesturing between him and her brother. “I cannot live with this.”
Badar marched toward his sister and grabbed hold of her arm. “Come on. Let’s get the baby and get out of here.”
“Let go of her,” Joey demanded.
Badar pivoted and took a swing at Joey.
Joey ducked, then threw a good right and an even better left into Badar’s gut, doubling him over.
Salma’s brother recovered quickly, though, and lunged for Joey, sending them both onto the coffee table and breaking it in half. Hayley’s bean dip went flying, splattering the television screen and the floor with brown goop.
Salma and Lizzy shouted for them to stop, but it was too late for that.
They could hear the baby crying in the other room.
The two men wrestled around the room, knocking into furniture and walls as they went. When one of Kitally’s favorite decorative vases went flying and crashed to the floor in a million pieces, Kitally put her fingers in her mouth and let out an ear-piercing whistle.
Nobody cared.
“That only works in the movies,” Hayley told her.
“Thanks,” she said. “I can see that.”
Joey finally managed to push Badar off him, sending him staggering backward across a good portion of the living area before he found his balance. If he had any decency at all, he would have stopped right then and left the premises, but, like he’d said earlier, his family had been dishonored and apparently he was ready to fight to the death.
Lizzy didn’t care if the two man-boys killed each other.
She’d followed the baby’s cry and found her wrapped up and left atop a makeshift bed of blankets. Her tiny legs were stiff, and her face was red from crying. Lizzy picked her up and held her close to her chest. “Everything’s going to be all right,” she said, although she had serious doubts that would prove true.
Through the bedroom window, she saw Detective Chase walking toward the house.
What the hell? With the sounds of the living room battle still raging, she walked with the baby to the front entry and opened the door to find the detective just reaching the steps.
“What are you doing here?” Lizzy asked.
“Whose baby is that?”
“Nobody you know,” she said. “What do you want?”
“You’re not going to invite me in?”
Glass shattered in the other room.
He stiffened. “What’s going on in there?”
“Do you really want to know?”
“Shoot.”
“A young girl and her boyfriend had a baby.” She tipped her chin toward the baby in her arms. “Her family strongly disapproves of the boyfriend and have threatened to do him harm.” She tipped her head toward the sound of chaos. “Boyfriend and brother are inside duking it out.”
“How do you get yourself into these messes?” he asked her.
“Trouble follows me wherever I go. You know that.”
“Maybe I should put a stop to it.”
“It’s your call,” Lizzy said, “though you’re probably a lot safer right here. Why are you here?”
“Your neighbor called in to complain about the noise. When I heard the address, I decided to swing by and make sure you were OK.”
“I appreciate it.”
As the male shouting inside built to a crescendo, he took a closer look at the baby in her arms. “She’s a cute one.” He put his finger in her little hand, and she gripped it tightly.
Chase turned to her. “I also wanted to tell you that I’ve authorized two of my best men to check out the area in and around Bennett’s vacation home in Lake Tahoe.”
That bit of news surprised her. Chase was letting her know he’d listened to her concerns about Bennett . . . and that he had her back. “Thanks, Detective. That means a lot.”
“Don’t get too excited. I’m not doing it because I think you’re right about the man. I’m doing it for peace of mind.”
“Got it.”
With nothing better to do, they both headed into the living room to see what was going on.
Badar would not let up, and he finally had to be dragged out in cuffs by Chase. Once Badar was secure inside the back of Detective Chase’s sedan, the detective walked over to where Lizzy stood a few feet away.
“What about the girl?” Chase asked Lizzy.
“What about her?”
“I don’t think her brother is going to let it go, and I’m not sure how long I can detain him.”
“I don’t know what to do,” Lizzy said. “Can’t you threaten the boy with jail time or something?”
He shrugged. “I’ll see what I can do. The kid’s running pretty hot. I’ll let him cool down, then see if I can put the fear of God into him.”
Lizzy watched Chase walk back to his car and said, “You’ll keep me updated on the Bennett matter?”
“Do I have a choice?”
No, you don’t, she thought as she watched him get in his car and take off down the street. Lizzy looked at the baby wrapped in her arms and brought her tiny face next to hers. She smelled like sweet innocence mingled with baby powder.
When Lizzy stepped inside the house, Salma and Joey were waiting for her.
Lizzy handed her the baby. Before she could talk to them about what had just transpired, she felt the vibration of her cell phone in her back pocket. The caller ID told her it was the prosecutor, Grady Orwell.
“I have bad news,” he told her when she answered.
Lizzy walked through the house, weaving around overturned furniture and broken pottery, making her way toward the office at the end of the hallway, away from everyone else. “What is it?”
“Olimpia Padula,” he said. “She was found dead in her apartment. Drowned in the bathtub.”
Lizzy stopped walking. “Jesus.”
“They’re calling it accidental.”
“That’s bullshit.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Me, too. Thanks for letting me know.” Lizzy disconnected the call and then swallowed hard. Her fingers gripped the phone until she thought it might break.
“What’s wrong?” Hayley asked. “Who was that?”
Lizzy walked into the office.
Hayley followed behind and shut the door.
“Olimpia Padula is dead.” Lizzy took a seat at the desk and let her head fall into the palms of her hands. A few seconds passed before she gathered herself and looked up at Hayley. “I should have parked my ass in front of Olimpia’s apartment 24-7. Fuck that man!” She took a breath. “Bennett might very well have gotten away with murder . . . again. That asshole has been captured on video drugging and assaulting a woman, and yet it’s inadmissible in court.” She stabbed a finger in the air. “Nobody will speak out against the amazing Mr. Bennett. But guess what? I don’t give a shit. I refuse to let that man continue on his merry little way. That man will not lay a finger on anyone else.”
“What do you propose?” Hayley asked.
“Bennett isn’t the only one with eyes in the back of his head,” Lizzy said flatly. “His wife is in Europe. Mr. Bennett sent her away to spend time with friends until the media circus died down. Tomorrow night, when he comes home from work, we’ll be waiting.”