Page 8 of Six for Gold (The Magpie Rhyme #6)

W hen Chad had set his heart on getting a dog, Romeo couldn’t deny him.

Romeo knew how important Toby, Chad’s childhood labrador, had been to him, but it still caught him by surprise when he found the leaflet in the kitchen drawer.

Romeo had read about Mercutio, formally Gary. He’d looked at his picture, a skinny looking thing, for a long time, and had felt nothing.

Pets were not his thing.

The magpie he’d taken care of after finding it with a broken wing, was not his pet.

It was his experiment.

Romeo didn’t hate animals, he just didn’t feel anything towards them, which was true of most people too.

But Chad felt empathy for both.

He wanted to please both.

And the written sob story, and the photograph of Mercutio not looking his best, had worked on him.

Those big grey eyes had sucked Chad right in.

But Romeo wasn’t as convinced. Looks, as he knew from his own reflection, could be deceiving.

Chad’s jaw had almost unhinged at the chains and padlocks Romeo had bought in preparation of their new arrival.

He’d demanded Romeo keep them in the outhouse and told Romeo they were adopting a sweet timid boy, not a werewolf.

Romeo never imagined he’d be opening those boxes, pulling the chain free, knowing he was about to use it on Chad. He’d packed supplies onto the backseat of Chad’s car, mainly clothes, tins, bottles of water, food, toiletries, blankets, money—lots of money.

He still had control of Chad’s bank accounts and withdrew money from different cash points all over town.

He knew he had to take Chad away, he couldn’t do what he needed to do in their home, not when Ally and Josh were bound to show up to check up on him.

Romeo had already planned it out.

He was going to catch Chad, chain him up, then send a message from Chad’s phone to Ally and Josh saying he needed space and was visiting an old colleague from Canster.

In reality, Romeo had booked a four-week stay in the cottage they’d gone to by the sea—secluded, private, away from everyone. It would be just him and Chad, like at the beginning.

Romeo found a spare set of handcuffs in the bottom of the wardrobe. Chad’s official pair he’d had to hand in, along with his detective’s badge and his ID card.

Romeo had seen the hurt in Chad’s eyes when he’d returned from the station that day.

He added the cuffs, along with the chains and padlocks to the trunk. The sun visors across the windows remained pulled back and he threw a blanket over all the supplies on the back seat.

The cage was ready, Romeo just needed Chad to fly home so he could catch him and force him into it.

It was inevitable.

In fact, it surprised Romeo it hadn’t happened sooner, but Chad had to come home at some point.

Six weeks after he hadn’t come back to Romeo that day, Chad came home on a different one.

He wasn’t alone, but Romeo hadn’t expected him to be.

Ally and Josh were there, Mercutio, too, who rushed around the house in a happy dance.

Romeo watched the camera feeds on his phone from the outhouse. He paused when he heard Mercutio snuffling at the bottom of the door, but then Josh called him away and he went with a yip.

They disappeared into the house, and Romeo exhaled, knowing he had to wait.

It took an hour for Ally and Josh to leave.

Romeo frowned when he saw Mercutio leaving with them.

He’d thought Chad would want him there, but he hopped onto the backseat of Josh’s car and sat for Josh to pet him on the head. Ally stood by the passenger door, rubbing her fingers over her lips as she stared at the house.

Romeo didn’t know if Chad was on the doorstep, the camera didn’t cover the front door, but he heard a mumble through the outhouse door, then Ally replied, “You damn well better be.”

Josh shut Mercutio in the back, then turned towards the front door. “You need us. You call us.”

Ally nodded along. She stepped towards the house, shaking her head. “This... I’m staying, okay? If you don’t want me to stay in the spare room, I can sleep on the sofa. Let me sleep on the sofa.”

Romeo flared his nostrils. “Get in the car...” he murmured, cracking his neck.

“It’s not about where you sleep, Ally. It’s about me needing some time on my own.”

“Chad...” Ally said, sounding exasperated.

Chad stepped into sight of the camera, the barest sliver of his profile appearing on screen. His reassuring smile hit Romeo with ten tons of longing.

“I’m fine,” Chad said. “You don’t have to babysit me anymore.”

“We’re not babysitting you,” Josh said, moving to stand side by side with Ally.

“Look, it’s not that I don’t appreciate it, I really do, but the thing is...” Chad lowered his head, “The thing is, I can’t take another day of your awful cooking.”

Josh laughed, knocking his shoulder into Ally who wiped her eyes.

“You ungrateful little shit.” Ally muttered.

“That’s me,” Chad smiled, but it faded. “I know, guys, I know , but I’m okay. I’m feeling good. Ready.” He looked back to the house. “I’m going to go inside, run myself a bath, then relax in front of the TV.”

“I’m going to call you later,” Ally said. “And you better pick up, Chad. I mean it. If you don’t, I will be moving into your place for the foreseeable future.”

“I’ll pick up,” Chad snorted.

“She means it,” Josh added, glancing down at Ally.

“I know she does, now go,” Chad shooed them. “I’ll speak to you later, Ally, and I’ll call you tomorrow, Josh.”

Josh and Ally shared a look, then both nodded.

They took their time climbing into the car, much to Romeo’s annoyance. Ally had already thrown a curve ball at his plan by demanding Chad answer her call that night.

Romeo didn’t know how to tackle that particular problem, but first things first, he needed Ally and Josh to leave so he could set his plan into motion.

Josh honked the horn three times before taking off down the track road.

Then it was just him and Chad.

The monster and the magpie...

****

R omeo waited for as long as he could stand it before leaving the outhouse. He stepped carefully across the concrete, wincing with each step. It was late afternoon, but there was still enough light peeking over the horizon for him to see.

He got to the front door, retrieving his key from his pocket. He expected Chad to have locked it after going back inside, but the door opened on his first try. Romeo frowned, shoving his key back into his jacket.

He eased the door open, then paused to listen. The downstairs was dark, but he could see light from around their bedroom door at the top of the stairs.

The tap from their ensuite thundered as Chad filled the bath.

Romeo exhaled, stepping inside.

The tap was loud enough to drown out his footsteps. Even the creaking floorboards couldn’t be heard above the roar of water from the bathroom. Romeo snuck right up to the bedroom, slipping inside with his gaze locked on the bathroom door.

He’d worried about catching Chad—didn’t want to hurt him, or for there to be much of a struggle—and a vulnerable unexpecting Chad getting ready for a bath gave him the perfect opportunity to snatch him, and grab him from behind.

Romeo held his breath, inching the bathroom door open.

He blinked.

Chad wasn’t there.

“I knew you were here somewhere,” Chad said from behind him. “I could feel it.”

Romeo stiffened, flexing his face in annoyance. So much for sneaking up on Chad.

Clever Magpie.

He slowly turned, and found Chad, fully dressed, and holding another knife. One of Romeo’s knives, and he knew they were wicked sharp. He knew because he sharpened them on a block in the kitchen.

“You couldn’t just let me go.” Chad forced through his teeth.

His eyes were wet again, but angry, narrowed to slits and his hand trembled around the knife handle.

“No.” Romeo said, holding his hands up in surrender. “I couldn’t. I won’t.”

“Why not?”

“Because I’m selfish, and you and me, we’re meant to be.”

Chad didn’t reply.

Romeo glanced back when water spilled over the edge of the bath. He sighed, walking backwards so he could reach the taps, and twisted until the water stopped flowing.

“You didn’t tell them.”

Chad squinted. “Tell them what?”

“About me. I strolled, easy as anything, into Ally’s house, The Countdown Killer, and you didn’t tell them. There’s no alert on the news ... no police cars screeching around searching for me. They haven’t rushed you off to some safe house—not that anyone can stop me from finding you.”

“When I told them I saw someone at the end of the garden, spying on us, they thought I was seeing things. They drove me to my shrink on the same day, and I had to sit there while she stared at me in mock sympathy, trying to get me to ‘open up’.”

“Keeley’s a good therapist.”

Chad closed his eyes in a long blink. He shook his head. “Because of course you know her name...”

“I know everything there is to know about you, Chad.”

“No.” he said firmly. “You don’t.”

“What do you remember? About who you were? About Bardhum? About Ally and Josh? About anything?”

“Pieces,” Chad whispered. “Pieces that don’t fit together. It doesn’t make sense. I don’t make sense.”

Romeo frowned at that. “Are there pieces of me?”

“Yes.” Chad’s brow twitched. “They’re the most confusing of all. That’s why you should leave.”

“That’s not going to happen.”

Chad squared his shoulders. “I’m going to give you one chance. Only one. Leave. Let me go and don’t come back.”

He flicked his head to the side, as if gesturing Romeo out of the bathroom.

“That’s very ... irresponsible of you.”

“Irresponsible?”

“Letting a serial killer go free.”

Chad flexed his fingers around the handle of the knife. “I’m not a detective anymore, they told me that much. I know that much. The public ... they’re not my responsibility anymore. I don’t owe them anything.”

“You never did owe them.” Romeo studied Chad. He was breathing hard. He avoided looking Romeo in the eye. “What if I refuse to leave?”

Chad’s nostrils flared, but he didn’t answer.

“Will you call the police?”

“I’m giving you this one chance—"

“Or will you stab me? Will you drive that knife into my heart?”

“If you force me to. Yes.”

Romeo closed the distance between them. Chad didn’t shuffle back. He held the knife higher, and his eye twitched as he stared Romeo down.

“You can’t kill me. You love me too damn much.” Romeo leaned his face closer. “So, here’s what’s going to happen . You’re going to put that knife down, then you’re going to come with me.”

“Come with you?”

“Away from here. It’ll be just you and me again. Like in the beginning.”

“Beginning of what?”

“Of us. I’ll help you put the pieces back together.”

Chad pressed his lips in a grim smile. “They don’t fit.”

“They do.”

“I won’t go with you.”

Romeo sighed. “Then we have to do this the hard way.”

Chad opened his mouth to retort, but his teeth snapped shut when Romeo surged at him, clutching his arm. They struggled, stumbling back. Romeo’s hand slipped up Chad’s arm to his wrist, in range of the knife. Chad jerked his hand forward, and the point cut deep into Romeo’s thumb muscle. He hissed, releasing his hold, but Chad ripped the knife across Romeo’s palm before he could yank his hand clear.

“Damn it.” Romeo growled, flexing his hand.

Chad slashed the knife, narrowly avoiding Romeo’s face. Romeo went at him again, grabbing Chad’s arms with both hands and twisting hard enough to rip skin.

Chad cried out.

The knife fell from his grip.

It hit the floorboards with a clang, and Romeo kicked it towards the window.

Chad pulled away from Romeo, but instead of going for the knife like Romeo thought he would, he went for the door.

Chad ran.

“Fuck,” Romeo growled, staring at his damaged hand. It stung. The knife had pierced deep, slashing through the delicate skin of his palm.

Another complication.

But it had to wait.

Romeo clutched his hand to his chest as he rushed out of the room in pursuit of Chad. Romeo stopped at the top of the stairs, staring at a frantic Chad seemingly searching the hallway for something.

He whirled around. “Where the hell are they?”

“What?” Romeo asked.

“My car keys.”

“They’re in my pocket.”

“Of course they are!”

Chad laughed, then lashed out, kicking the bottom step. As soon as Romeo could reach him, Chad took off again, rushing into the kitchen.

“You need to calm down,” Romeo told him as he followed.

Blood snaked down his forearm from his hand.

It dripped from his elbow onto the floor.

Chad ran a hand through his hair, pacing the opposite end of the kitchen.

Romeo kept his distance.

“Hand them over.” Chad finally said, coming to a stop.

He didn’t look towards Romeo.

“ Hand them over?” Romeo replied, eyeing his gaping slit. Chad flashed the wound a glance, then looked quickly away. His breath came in pants. His gaze darted all over the place, but not towards the knives or anything else he could’ve used as a weapon.

Romeo squinted. “I know you’re not squeamish. You’ve seen plenty of violent deaths.”

Chad shook his head.

“But what is it about my bloody hand that makes you uncomfortable.”

“All of you makes me uncomfortable,” Chad choked on a breath.

“Is that the real reason?”

Chad seemed to struggle with himself, then blurted out, “You’re a god damn serial killer and you’re in my house—”

“Our house.”

“This is bullshit,” Chad grabbed a fistful of his hair. “This isn’t real.”

“I assure you it is.”

“I don’t want it.”

The words stung more than his hand.

“I don’t care what you want. I care about what I want, and what the monster wants.”

Chad brow folded in confusion. “Monster?”

“And what we want is our Chad back.”

“That’s not happening,” Chad whispered. “It can’t .”

He opened the back door. Romeo’s shoulders slumped as Chad threw himself outside, stumbling as he landed at an odd angle before he ran.

Romeo exhaled through his nose and did the only thing he could.

He went after Chad.

Thick mud slowed Chad’s escape. It had rained days before, but the field still oozed and squelched as Chad’s feet sunk into it. He didn’t try to get around Romeo, he ran straight, and it was miles until the field ended with a deep ditch, and then a road.

Romeo could make him out in the darkness, stumbling, weakening. All Romeo had to do was wait until Chad couldn’t continue.

Romeo didn’t run, but his pace was brisk, he knew where to walk, where the earth was firmest. He knew how to avoid the biggest puddles, the ones that sunk Chad almost down to his knees.

Chad groaned, pulling himself free.

Romeo continued to stalk him, gaining ground without exerting effort.

Romeo clutched his hand high up his chest. When the wind blew at him, when it brushed against the flaps of skin no longer connected in a singular piece, it burned.

It burned so fiercely he bit back a growl.

“Let me go.”

“No.”

Chad gasped, stopped, and clutched his head in both hands.

Romeo widened his eyes.

Chad swayed, then dropped to his knees.

“Shit.” Romeo mumbled, picking up the pace.

It was only six weeks ago Chad had been hurt. His brain had been damaged. And there was Romeo, stalking him like he was prey until he collapsed from utter exhaustion.

He gripped Chad’s shoulder before he could face-plant in the field. Chad tried to push him away, but he was weak, unsteady as he pitched forward, clawing at his temples.

“Don’t hurt me.” he gasped.

Romeo closed his eyes. He dropped down to his knees beside Chad.

“I’m not going to hurt you, Chad.”

Chad lowered his hands from his head. His eyes searched Romeo’s.

“I’m going to make everything better,” Romeo promised.

He cupped Chad’s cheek with his good hand, and the relief of him not pulling away made him laugh.

It made him splutter.

“Trust me, okay?” his throat tightened.

Chad watched him for a moment, then began to nod. Romeo brushed his thumb against Chad’s face, nodding too and the warmth in his chest was so intense he couldn’t feel the wind on his face or the slice in his hand.

Chad’s eyes sharpened.

Romeo frowned, mouth opening soundlessly, and then there was pain, a dull throb to the side of his skull and he tipped over, flailing as he lost his hold of Chad.

He collapsed on his side, consciousness wavering, but with just enough awareness to lift a hand to the side of his head and run clumsy fingers through the wetness soaking into his hair. Chad was no longer kneeling, he stood over Romeo, emotionless, with a bloody rock in his hand.

“I don’t trust anyone.”

Romeo closed his eyes and exhaled a long breath as consciousness slipped fully out of grasp.