East River
December 3, 6.04 p.m.
N ick fled the house and ran and ran until he was at the very edge of Queens overlooking the East River.
This was it. Sebastian had gone too far. He had threatened Nick’s own child. His own boy. Nick loved his boy. He loved him so much. Didn’t he? He was going mad.
Alone by the water, surrounded by silence, Nick shut his eyes, in tears. Sebastian’s girls were banging and thumping the glass. Nick could see them too. He could see them crying in pain. All Sebastian’s women crying out in agony in his glass cage.
Nick moved up close to the cage. He had to see what they were saying. He was so close his mouth was against the glass.
He needed to shatter their prison, set them free. He had to hear them, to know if they forgave him. He had to free them because it was they who brought Sebastian to him. If he let them go, Sebastian would disappear too.
At the water’s edge, he drew the pistol up to his head. He pushed the barrel tight into his ear.
He promised them freedom. He said he would free them. He only had to shatter the glass cage.
It had been a long journey. Sebastian had killed people to get back to them. Back to his girls. Now Nick was going to end it.
His forefinger applied three pounds of pressure to the toe of the trigger. Another three pounds and the spring would be released. The firing pin would move to the primer. The small explosion would ignite the main charge, the bullet would drive from its case.
Another three pounds of pressure was all he needed to be free.
The water glistened with diamond tips, the seagulls swooped with arrogant ease, their dark voices carrying over the river.
Another three pounds of pressure.
Then the girls stopped screaming. Nick saw them turn and look in the other direction. He saw them close their mouths in fear. He saw why. Sebastian was right there. He had returned.
Nick knew he had missed his chance — and he could not be sure he would get another.