CHAPTER #4

A few weeks later Mark proposed to Gina, out on his boat. She accepted and they celebrated all weekend long. She called Trudy and shared her news. At the office she showed everyone the huge rock on her engagement ring. Crockett didn't like it, but he'd lost any chance with Gina long ago. They were close friends, but she was obviously completely in love with Mark. He had a feeling that Mark wasn't as great as Trudy and Gina thought. At the same time, Crockett hadn't seen any more bruising on Gina. He hoped she would be happy and that Mark treated her well.

Mark's client Damien wanted to street race. He contacted Mark and then Gina let Crockett know that Burnett's presence was requested too. They all met for diner. Even though Mr. Gaviria was no longer in the country, Crockett still had to maintain his cover with present company and remained Burnett.

Damien admired Gina's ring, "congratulations on your engagement with Mark. Hopefully you can wean some of the animal out of him."

She smiled. "What car will you be driving?"

"A Mark modified Porsche 911 Turbo, she's my favorite."

"Excellent choice, nice straight line speed," Sonny complimented.

"Burnett, you'll be driving the Ferrari?" Mark asked.

Sonny grinned, "with some modifications of course."

Damien said a toast, "may the best driver and the fastest car win."

Everyone agreed. They discussed what roads would be in the race route and what time to meet at night, so no other traffic would be around. The race date would be next week Wednesday. As they were going over the details, Gina was requested to take a phone call. Trudy needed back up and Gina had to go. She returned to the table, exchanging a look with Crockett and excused herself quickly.

"Do you need a ride?" Mark asked.

"I'll take a cab, you've had too much wine already," Gina declined.

Sonny stood up, "nonsense. I've had one glass of wine. I'll give you a ride and be back before you gentlemen notice."

They laughed and Damien added, "good practice for the real race."

Crockett waited for Gina to kiss Mark good bye. Gina said, "see you at your place later tonight."

Mark pointed at her ring, "our place," he said smiling.

In the car Gina explained to Crockett that Trudy needed back up. Then she asked, how's your Gaviria case?"

"On hold until he returns from overseas. Castillo has us doing surveillance for the burglary division. Their under staffed."

"That explains the need for speed." She joked, giving him directions to where Trudy was.

As it turned out, they were both needed. The local pimp was trying to use muscle to make Trudy his. Guns drawn, Crockett and Gina helped make the arrest. The paper work needed to be completed immediately. So Crocket never made it back to the restaurant. He did give Gina a ride over to Mark's place afterward.

"Thanks for the ride. Good night Sonny."

Mark and Damien got drunk, while they waited. Mark ended up mixing up glasses and drank Damien's whisky. Once started, they began doing whisky shots. Damien teased Mark that Burnett just wanted to be alone with Gina and that's why he never returned. Mark got hostile and the restaurant threw them out. They raced to their cars, but Damien tripped and lost his keys under his car. He gave up trying to see them in the dark and just called a cab. Mark however drove home. He ran lights and drove into on coming traffic, barely getting back into his own lane in time. He miscalculated the turn into his driveway and ran over the grass into a tree on his front lawn. He received a cut on his head. When he touched it, he saw blood on his hand.

Gina had heard the crash and woke up. Unsure of what was going on, she grabbed her gun out of her purse. She stood in Mark's bedroom, listening to the quiet. Then she heard someone smash through the front door and come up the stairs.

"Gina! Whereareyou?"

She got nervous, Mark was very drunk. The last time he was this way, he'd hit her. She had to get out of there. She went into the room, locking the door. She dialed Trudy's number and waited for her to answer. "Trudy I need a ride home. Mark's drunk and I don't want to stay."

Trudy was worried, "I have a flat. Call Sonny or Ricardo, right now!"

"Okay, bye."

Mark was banging on the bedroom door. She dialed Tubbs as he lived closer and got no answer.

"Gina! Open this door!" Mark was angry now, slamming his body into the door repeatedly. It wouldn't hold too much longer.

As soon as Crockett picked up Gina said, "I need you to come pick me up, where you dropped me off. Please hurry Sonny." She hung up after making sure he had the address. Mark had heard the call, "you cheating bitch, open the door!" Mark raged.

"You're drunk, leave me alone Mark," Gina yelled back.

The door crashed open, shattering into pieces. He came at her, ripping off her cloths, groping her painfully. He hit her hard. She fell on the floor.

"Mark please STOP!" Gina screamed.

But Mark had blacked out and his rage had no control. "You went with Burnett and he never came back! Damien said you cheated on me, you whore!"

He punched her in the stomach and she curled up in a fetal position, trying to protect her naked body. "Mark stop," she whimpered.

Mark was on top of her, his distorted face showing his demented rage. He picked her up and threw her against the wall, she crumpled into a heap near the bed. He put his hands around her neck and began to strangle her. Her right hand frantically searched the floor for her gun. Her fingers found it, she coughed trying to stay conscious. She pointed the gun at his chest.

"I don't want to hurt you, please Mark," she pleaded with him, gasping for air.

He didn't see her or hear her anymore, he was out of his mind. He squeezed harder, she fired. His body fell on top of her, it's dead weight heavy on her chest. As she lost consciousness his blood poured out onto her. It's sticky wetness growing by the second.

Crockett had heard Gina's desperation. He jumped into his Ferrari and lit up the tires in his rush to reach her. He went through lights and broke a dozen traffic laws, but made it to the house in twenty-five minutes. He saw the crashed car and threw his car into neutral with the brake on. He got out his gun, seeing the door wide open. He followed a trail of bloody hand prints upstairs.

"Gina? Mark?" He called out into the silence.

His senses on high alert. Then he saw the broken door. He ran into the room and the scene before him made him stagger. "Gina! Oh God no! Gina!" Sonny cried out.

His heart in his throat, he moved Mark's lifeless body off her. Crockett had to break Mark's stiff fingers to get them to release Gina's neck. Through anguished eyes he search for signs of life and felt her neck for a pulse. His silent prayer was answered, she was barely there, but still alive. He grabbed the phone calling for an ambulance, giving them his police id. Then he hung up and called Tubbs. The fourth try, finally got Tubbs on the phone.

"Crockett? What the hell are you..." was as far as Ricardo got.

"Tubbs Mark strangled Gina, she shot and killed him. Pick up Trudy and get over here fast." Sonny gave him the address and hug up.

He picked up Gina, checking to make sure the blood was not hers. Then he covered her with a robe. Five minutes later the ambulance arrived, then Tubbs and Trudy. Crockett told the paramedics as much as he could, they strapped her on the gurney and told him the hospital they were taking her to. He told them not to bother with Mark, as he was dead.

"Tubbs," Sonny called out. His partner ran upstairs. Sonny briefed him on the details of what he had found on arrival. He asked him to wait for the local PD to come and take care of Mark's body. "Call the Lieutenant. Trudy and I will be at the hospital."

Trudy was already sitting in the still idling Ferrari. Crockett jogged out and got into the car. They flew out of the driveway and raced after the ambulance. At emergency they parked and went to find out how Gina was doing.

Lt. Castillo was already there waiting for them, "Gina is still unconscious, they had to put her arm back in it's socket. She's got a lot of bruising, but she will be okay." He looked at them and asked quietly, "tell me what happened."

Trudy spoke first, "she called me needing a ride home from Mark's. He was drunk and in the past he's beaten her when in that state. I couldn't pick her up, as my car has a flat. I told her to call Tubbs or Crockett."

"She called me to come get her, in the background I could hear him pounding on the door. When I arrived, I saw his car smashed into a tree and the front door open. I followed bloody hand prints upstairs. The bedroom door was in pieces. Mark was slumped over Gina. He was dead when I got there, she shot him in the chest. I had to break his fingers to get his hands off her neck. I waited until the paramedics arrived. I left the gun with Tubbs at the scene." Sonny finished, rubbing his hands over his face.

"I'll go talk to Tubbs, keep me posted on her condition." Lt. Castillo said quietly.