Divorced! Now what?
Chapter 137

Pam POV

His relief was palpable as I revealed the truth about our undercover operation to Bob. Yet, beneath his calm facade, I sensed a storm of questions brewing, ones that I was not yet ready to answer. 'How come Bret was let out of jail? How did the books taken from Cynthia's home not implicate him, too?'

'Bret was let out because he was to aid us in finding evidence. He said he knew that Wendy kept records, and the DA thought it was worth the risk to believe him and gave him three months to find them. The books he handed over were all in Wendy's handwriting. She mainly bragged about her exploits and implicated the judge, Bennett, and the introduction of the Gutter boys. According to Wendy, the hotels came about by Peter, Bret's brother, and Cynthia. When I read the books from Wendy's house, I assumed that Bret let us have them because nothing implicated him in any way, and most likely thought he was in the clear. He was much smarter than even we gave him credit for.'

'The books that Bethany handed in?'

'The books Bethany handed in were a mix of Cynthia and Wendy's handwriting, one a log of money flow written by Wendy and one by Cynthia. From what we can gather, no one knew about Cynthia's journals, and she hid them in Bethany's house. I doubt even Bret knew about them, or he would have disposed of them long ago. Both were shocked when they returned to find that Bethany had moved out, taking all her things. Cynthia's reaction was not just anger; it was a full-blown rampage, shattering everything in her path.' 'Wow, you had tails on Bret?' Bob sounds incredulous, not realizing we were that involved.

'After the accident, we had tails on him using Scot's security on also Bethany. In answer to the books, the second set of books has yet to be completed; I am hoping that Bethany will teach someone how to read them; she should not have to read that content. Peter is in jail and will not be getting out anytime soon; we have too much on him now and can link him to at least four unsolved murders. Cynthia's journal also linked Bret and her to another twenty murders, so we have a few cases cleaned up and families to get closure of some kind. We are pleased with that. Also, I feel we have more to come with the other books, linking all this with what the FBI and internal affairs already have. We have many kingpins tumbling to the ground, and the media will have a field day when some of the names are announced. I gave Bob all the answers I knew and did not hold back on anything.

'Then how did they lose him and not know about the quarry?'

'It is a legitimate business? Though I had asked for surveillance to be done on it, I was overruled. If you look at the land records, you will see that his family owned that land since it was closed over fifty years ago. They made it into a place to train horses for the rodeo, and when the father died, the place was left unattended until about six years ago when Peter started to put horses back onto it and made it look like they were building a horse ranch back up. When Bethany was taken, I was unaware of the tunnel system or that the quarry had a link to the system, and that is all on me. I am glad that Theo was in the chopper and knew all this. Making that connection quickly! I tried hard to get someone on the ground in the quarry, but it was brushed aside because they never saw Bret go to the quarry. It looks like he often did, if how often he was in the warehouse district, is anything to go by.

'You are saying that Bret never knew that Cynthia was hiding the books in Bethany's university days, in her medical books and stuff!'

'No, he did not. Plus, Cynthia was clever. She put covers on the books to make them look like something that belonged to Bethany, to hide them better. Neither of them expected Bethany to get up and leave like that. Cynthia went ballistic because she lost her books; now we know her gun. Maybe Bret knew of the books but needed help finding them. He said he had searched all of Cynthia's things and was trying to get into Wendy's room, but she kept it locked at all times. He was franticly hunting; our guys thought it was to prove he was innocent, but now we know differently.

'What is going to happen to all the properties?'

'Cynthia's house will go to you, to do with as you see fit, as it was a family home and not one she purchased. The quarry will go to the state, and they will most likely auction it off. All the money from the overseas accounts will be confiscated and put in the police funds, and the personal bank accounts of Cynthia and Wendy will go to you; there is not much in them, as they sent all the illegal money offshore after they had laundered it through the hotels!

'Bret's body?' Bob was leaving nothing undone.

'We were going to have a pauper funeral unless you wish to take that one and cremate him and put him with Cythina?'

'We still have Wendy and Cynthia's ashes, and we can do the same with Bret.

'What are you going to do with the ashes?'

'I am taking them to the tip and letting them join the rest of the trash. I laughed at that; it was funny and most appropriate for them as a resting place.

Do you have any more questions?'

'Not regarding the case, I have enough to chew on. Bob says with a smirk.

'Okay, how about us? Have you been able to think more?'

'Like I said, it will come down to Bethany. She is my main concern. You must wait if she is not ready to have you in my life and hers. I know this sounds selfish, but I owe my kids for not being there when they needed me to be. I was too busy being a cop and not a father, and their mother was poison, and I closed my eyes to it all. I need to try and allow them to be in my life more, and if that means you cannot be part of it, then so be it.'

'So Bethany is holding my life in her hands now?' I could understand where Bob was coming from, but it hurt anyway.

'I might go out on a few dates and see how I feel, but I will not be intimate again until Bethany has accepted you.'

'Does that mean I cannot join you for sports days?' I was desperate to get more than a few nights out. I have never been married or had kids; my job always came first, and most men could not handle that. I am still young and hope I have not pushed too hard. 'Talk to Bethany, and we shall go from there. That is not a no; my life is now in Bethany's hands. Let's hope she can get a better job with my life, and I have to try to protect hers.

Bob pulled me into his arms, hugged me, and kissed my head. He refused to kiss my lips, and I was a little disappointed, but I knew what my life would be like in a few minutes when Bethany woke up.

'Come on, let's get out of here; I have had enough of all this talk; I need a break.' He led me out of the office and down the hall; when we reached there, Bethany was snuggled up with Theo.