Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 94716 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 474(@200wpm)___ 379(@250wpm)___ 316(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94716 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 474(@200wpm)___ 379(@250wpm)___ 316(@300wpm)
Yes, I am aware that the bank I had my safety deposit box at was his. When I realized he was looking for the information I had, I thought, hey, what the hell. I’ll hide it right under his nose. He won’t think I’m stupid enough to hide the information he wants in his own bank.
I’m sorry I ever put you into this position, my man. Hope the information helps you in some way.
I’m glad you have your girl back. I love you.
Adam
My throat was clogged, and I swallowed past a lump in my throat.
I’d set his ass up, plain and simple. When I’d asked him to watch over Winter, while I was away, he was a young kid all of twenty one, just like me. If I’d known he was still carrying the guilt of Winter’s disappearance, I would have set him straight years ago.
Fuck.
Rage. Pure, dark, and thick bubbled in my veins.
That stuffed suit was about to feel what the meaning of wrath was.
A low whistle sounded from beside me, and I reached for the paper he was holding out to me.
My eyes read the paper over and over, trying mightily to make my brain comprehend just what it was I was reading.
“What the fuck?” I finally asked.
James, who’d taken a seat sometime in the past few minutes, while my brain was trying to work, snatched the paper from my hand and scanned over it.
His eyes went from interested to hard as ice in the span of seconds. “Dear God.”
“What the hell does he want with the state orphanage, and why does he have a list of every kid there, all the way down to blood type?” James asked with a deadly tone.
There were only so many options a flesh peddler would want with an orphanage, and none of those was good.
“Oh, it gets better.” Gabe said as he handed me the next page.
James got up and moved so that he could read it too.
My blood boiled.
“That just looks like an expense report to me.” James asked confused.
“All the reports originate in Shamrock, Texas.” Gabe explained.
“Goddammit.” I growled and threw the paper on the table.
“Financials on Jeanette LaRue, Stormy LaRue, Adam Gustier, Taima Stoker, Jackopa Stoker. Last known addresses. Acquaintances. Job details. Jesus, this guy knows a lot of shit about you. What’s this?” Gabe said handing the stack of papers over.
“Not really surprising. The man practically runs the San Antonio drug trade from what my sources say,” I answered distractedly. “Looks like a paternity test.”
“Let’s get this stuff home. There’s more, I know it.” Gabe said and stood.
“Wait, let me get a picture of this stuff and send it over to Winter. Maybe she can find us some more information.” I said as I took out my phone and snapped quick pictures of everything we had, minus the letter from Adam.
I didn’t want her worrying about this, but I most definitely didn’t want her upset over the fact that Adam died trying to help her.
“Got it. Let’s roll.” I said as I stood, too.
Once out in the parking lot, I gave the tape recorder to James and the stack of papers to Gabe. “Just in case.”
They nodded and put them in their own jacket pockets.
Little did I know that that decision was probably the best one I’d made in seven years.
***
The gate clinked as we waited for it to open.
My eyes moved from the slowest opening gate in the history of the world to Winter as she exited the front door of the garage.
Although it was a little past eleven at night, I knew she’d be there working on the information we’d sent her. I hoped that that smile on her face meant she had something.
Just as the gate finally swung open fully, a deafening bang and an extremely bright light over took my senses.
I was disoriented, and it took me a few moments to remember the training I’d had on concussion grenades.
However, those fifteen seconds were enough, and I came to just in time to see a meaty fist headed straight for my face.
Lights out for me.
Chapter 20
She’s crazy. And just when you think you’ve reached the bottom of her craziness, there’s a damn underground garage.
-Life Lesson
Winter
“If one of you bastards doesn’t bring him to me, so help me God, I will cut every one of your balls off and make the person next to you eat them!” I bellowed as I yanked the chain that I was attached to.
My bonds held me tight against the wall. I was shackled to a fucking chain like a dog.
I’d just woken up a few minutes ago, and it wasn’t under the best of circumstances.
Mr. Touchy Feely was running his rough dirty palm over my stomach and down my left thigh. I’d known as soon as I’d awakened that it wasn’t Jack’s hand. Whomever the man was, was rough and jerky, whereas Jack’s touch is smooth and silky.
Turns out Mr. Touchy was only searching me for weapons and strapping my wrists into metal cuffs. Then he left me in this white creepy room with the fluorescent lights and no windows. Oh, and did I mention there was no working heater?
There I sat in the corner of the room, as far away from the door as I could get, thinking about ways to escape. Only, I didn’t see anything. Not a nail on the floor, or a loose brick in the wall, nor a goddamn lock pick when you needed it.
Laying my head down, I tried to calm my nerves as a wave of nausea nearly sent me to my knees, but the sound of the door slamming open and bouncing hard against the wall brought my head up so fast that my head spun even more.
“Oh, Winter. How I’ve missed that lovely mouth of yours.” Peter, the slime ball, said as he came into the room with a confident swagger.
I wanted to vomit even more, but managed to hold it in.
Thinking silence was my best friend right now, I stayed quiet as he continued speaking. “So, I see that you found the love of your life again. How sweet. Except you’ll be a widow in a few short hours. Just as soon as we learn what he knows, that is. Let’s watch, shall we?”