Read Online Serial Date: A Leine Basso Thriller by D.V. Berkom - Free Book Online
Authors: D.V. Berkom
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kitchen.
“I'll say.”
Leine bit back a retort. She doesn't know what happened, that Eric tricked you. She followed her daughter into the kitchen, taking deep breaths with each step.
“Where are your glasses?”
Leine pointed at a cupboard. April chose a glass and filled it with water from the tap. I'd better keep to neutral topics for now. Ease into this.
“When'd you get back? Did you enjoy Europe?”
“It was okay. I really liked Amsterdam. The people were cool.”
“I remember.” Leine hadn't been back for several years, but liked to use Amsterdam as a jumping off point for European jobs. Schiphol airport was a relaxed, friendly port of entry. The people were generally laid back and happy to see you. She also knew a good weapons supplier in the city.
April walked into the living room and gazed out the front window. Leine joined her.
“Do you regret what you did?” April asked, still looking out the window.
“All the time,” she answered, her voice barely above a whisper. Leine didn't tell her about the running dreams. In them, she ran from the people she'd killed, sometimes more than one. She would wake up drenched in sweat, heart pounding, right before they closed in.
“How could you…do what you did? Didn't it affect you?”
Leine sighed. “Look, I did what I was good at. Yes, it affected me. Yes, I regret some of it. Most of the targets were low-life scum who deserved a worse death than what I gave them. With me, it was over before they knew what happened. Problem is, I can't take it back. I have to live with myself every day. With all of them.”
“I was talking about Carlos.” April's voice held a brittle edge that echoed against the empty walls of the living room.
“Especially Carlos.”
April whirled to face Leine, her face a mask of rage.
“You killed him.” Her voice broke as she clenched her fists. “He trusted you. How could you?”
Leine closed her eyes against the accusation. Yes, she killed Carlos. But she'd been tricked into it. She'd tried telling her daughter that, but after Eric's campaign of deception April wouldn't believe her. She opened her eyes, saw her daughter's anguish and knew she'd never be forgiven. April adored Carlos. She never understood how Leine could work as an assassin in the first place. She swore to April that Eric misdirected her, leading to her mistakenly kill Carlos, but her efforts were futile. Eric played April like a violin. She was twelve years old at the time and highly receptive to adult male authority. He'd convinced her Leine was lying about the incident to escape responsibility and guilt.
“It's more complicated than that, April. I-”
“Don’t. Don't justify what you did. You're a monster.” April threw her glass against the tiled fireplace. Leine winced as it shattered on the hearth.
“My mother is a monster.” April's sobs followed her as she ran down the hallway to her room and slammed the door closed.
Numb, Leine didn't follow, didn't cry. She stood by the window, unsure what to do, unable to move. Sorrow engulfed her as memories of happier times with Carlos and April surged to the surface. On a playground with April in a swing, laughing. Carlos' dark good looks, dimples deepening as he smiled, pushing April in the swing but looking at Leine, an expression of later promise meant only for her.
The sound of the door opening surprised Leine. Now what?
April stomped down the hallway and brushed past Leine, headed for the front door. She had her backpack with her.
“April, please. Can't we get past this?”
April wrenched the door open and turned to glare at her mother. “Don't wait up.” The words fell with finality between them.
She followed her as April strode out the door. “I'll hide a key under the flower pot-” she called, but she was talking to empty space.
Leine shook her head as she wiped away a tear. The theme from The Godfather once again echoed from the counter where she'd left her purse. Grateful for a
“I'll say.”
Leine bit back a retort. She doesn't know what happened, that Eric tricked you. She followed her daughter into the kitchen, taking deep breaths with each step.
“Where are your glasses?”
Leine pointed at a cupboard. April chose a glass and filled it with water from the tap. I'd better keep to neutral topics for now. Ease into this.
“When'd you get back? Did you enjoy Europe?”
“It was okay. I really liked Amsterdam. The people were cool.”
“I remember.” Leine hadn't been back for several years, but liked to use Amsterdam as a jumping off point for European jobs. Schiphol airport was a relaxed, friendly port of entry. The people were generally laid back and happy to see you. She also knew a good weapons supplier in the city.
April walked into the living room and gazed out the front window. Leine joined her.
“Do you regret what you did?” April asked, still looking out the window.
“All the time,” she answered, her voice barely above a whisper. Leine didn't tell her about the running dreams. In them, she ran from the people she'd killed, sometimes more than one. She would wake up drenched in sweat, heart pounding, right before they closed in.
“How could you…do what you did? Didn't it affect you?”
Leine sighed. “Look, I did what I was good at. Yes, it affected me. Yes, I regret some of it. Most of the targets were low-life scum who deserved a worse death than what I gave them. With me, it was over before they knew what happened. Problem is, I can't take it back. I have to live with myself every day. With all of them.”
“I was talking about Carlos.” April's voice held a brittle edge that echoed against the empty walls of the living room.
“Especially Carlos.”
April whirled to face Leine, her face a mask of rage.
“You killed him.” Her voice broke as she clenched her fists. “He trusted you. How could you?”
Leine closed her eyes against the accusation. Yes, she killed Carlos. But she'd been tricked into it. She'd tried telling her daughter that, but after Eric's campaign of deception April wouldn't believe her. She opened her eyes, saw her daughter's anguish and knew she'd never be forgiven. April adored Carlos. She never understood how Leine could work as an assassin in the first place. She swore to April that Eric misdirected her, leading to her mistakenly kill Carlos, but her efforts were futile. Eric played April like a violin. She was twelve years old at the time and highly receptive to adult male authority. He'd convinced her Leine was lying about the incident to escape responsibility and guilt.
“It's more complicated than that, April. I-”
“Don’t. Don't justify what you did. You're a monster.” April threw her glass against the tiled fireplace. Leine winced as it shattered on the hearth.
“My mother is a monster.” April's sobs followed her as she ran down the hallway to her room and slammed the door closed.
Numb, Leine didn't follow, didn't cry. She stood by the window, unsure what to do, unable to move. Sorrow engulfed her as memories of happier times with Carlos and April surged to the surface. On a playground with April in a swing, laughing. Carlos' dark good looks, dimples deepening as he smiled, pushing April in the swing but looking at Leine, an expression of later promise meant only for her.
The sound of the door opening surprised Leine. Now what?
April stomped down the hallway and brushed past Leine, headed for the front door. She had her backpack with her.
“April, please. Can't we get past this?”
April wrenched the door open and turned to glare at her mother. “Don't wait up.” The words fell with finality between them.
She followed her as April strode out the door. “I'll hide a key under the flower pot-” she called, but she was talking to empty space.
Leine shook her head as she wiped away a tear. The theme from The Godfather once again echoed from the counter where she'd left her purse. Grateful for a
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